RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Imagine not even being a teenager yet, being the tender age of 12, and you receive word that a college coach watching you play tells your travel ball head coach that you don’t have what it takes to place at the highest levels of college softball.
How would you react? Would it crush you to where you couldn’t get over it? Or, would you be more like today’s spotlight athlete who used it as motivation to drive her for years to now where she’s headed to the SEC?
That’s the inspiring path that today’s spotlight athlete, Abby Herndon, has followed. A standout lefty pitcher from Alabama, she is now living her dream after “pouring everything” she had into making it happen… no matter what doubts others may have had!
Here’s the end result which went public early last month:
SO EXCITED to be a Rebel!!!❤️💙 @OleMissSoftball @rykerzc @KRietkovich @Jamie_Trachsel @ExtraInningSB @FoxSportsShoals @recruitBROOKS @brooks_softball @LegacyLegendsS1 @Fury_Groenewoud @TinchTheGrinch @erinsykes007 @CSA_Athletes @KevinRDarby pic.twitter.com/lVGyv8E0L1
— Abby Herndon (@abby_herndon14) September 12, 2022
But it didn’t just happen because the high school junior wanted it to; Abby put the necessary work into fulfilling her vision which took years to accomplish.
Over the summer, Abby was named to the Honorable Mention 16U All-Summer team after an impressive run with Heather Groenewoud’s Tennessee Fury 2024 National team. Ranked in the Top 40 of the 2024 Extra Elite 100 released in early September, the athlete was described by Coach Heather as:
“One of the most competitive, focused and detail-oriented softball players I have had the opportunity to coach.”
Additionally, her bio read:
The pitcher’s presence, impressive velocity, and the tough late break on her movement pitches has put her squarely in the sights of more than 30 programs across the country, including a dozen Power 5 programs, who have directly invited her to camp over the summer. College coaches routinely comment on her presence in the circle, smooth delivery, efficient mechanics, and her ability to create swings and misses from her movement pitches.
Abby led the Fury to a Top 20 (T-17th) finish at the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series Tier I over the summer and, in one 16U Super Regional #3 game in late July, she pitched a one-hitter to lead her team to a 6-0 victory.
Earlier in the spring for her 2022 sophomore high school varsity campaign, she helped lead Brooks (Ala.) High to a 42-12 record and their first state tournament appearance in over 20 years.
Great accomplishments and results, to be sure, but success didn’t just fall from the sky; here, in her own words, are how Abby made her dreams come true…
*****
When I was 12 years old, a college coach watched my skills video and told one of my travel coaches that I would never be good enough to pitch at the Power 5 level.
I believed him and, honestly, it was probably true at the time except for one thing: COVID.
When COVID happened, I went virtual and my dad worked from home for two years. My dad asked me one day:
“What is your dream?”
I wanted to play Power 5 softball—it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do—so I poured everything I had into training. I started lifting with a trainer, I learned how to throw real bullpens, I pitched six days a week to perfect my movement and off-speed pitches, and I just kept getting more confident every time I pitched.
The 2022 summer club season was huge for me.
Coaches from so many schools started to notice me and watch me on a regular basis at my tournaments. Assistant Coach Ryker (Chason) from Ole Miss was always there to watch.
He believed in me before any other coaches ever saw the potential.
I took other Power 5 visits, but when I went on my visit to Ole Miss, the coaches made me feel like I was already one of their players. Coach Ryker took the time to talk to me about my development and gave me so much confidence, telling me that I am “good enough” to succeed at that level.
Head Coach Jamie Trachsel, Coach Ryker, and Coach Katie (Rietkovich Browder) are just special people, and I can’t wait to suit up and hit the dirt with them!
— Abby Herndon, Class of 2024