It appears that back-to-back Super Regional appearances are paying dividends for Coach Pete D’Amour and the Virginia Tech softball program.
The Hokies have recently received two commitments from players ranked in the 2024 Extra Elite 100 Top 10 list for the Class of 2024:
- Jordan Lynch, a middle infielder/utility player from Maryland who competes with the Lady Dukes – Lamar club team,
- Jayden Jones, a middle infielder/outfielder from Michigan who plays for Mojo – Danley/Fisher.
Jordan, a middle infielder/utility player from Northeast, Maryland and the #10 ranked recruit by Extra Innings, committed to the Hokies on September 12th and told Extra Inning Softball yesterday that everything felt right when she visited the ACC school.
“Everyone—the players, coaches and support staff—were so welcoming and nice. The atmosphere in Blacksburg just felt like home. Also, I could feel that the coaches really cared about their players as people.”
So happy to announce that I’ve committed to Virginia Tech to further my academic and athletic career. Thank you to all my coaches, teammates, and family for making this possible and supporting me. GO HOKIES 🦃🦃🦃 pic.twitter.com/bnKZpyxGqx
— Jordan Lynch (@Jordanlynch24) September 12, 2022
Then, a week ago today (Monday, Oct. 17, 2022), Jayden—the #6 ranked recruit in the current junior class–announced her commitment to Virginia Tech.
i am so thankful and excited to announce my commitment to virginia tech university!! go hokies!!🦃
“commit to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” proverbs 16:3@VTechSBcoach @michaellew10 @GillisFastpitch @HokiesSoftball pic.twitter.com/ietn3Nvkyu
— Jayden Jones (@JaydenJones2024) October 17, 2022
Her travel ball coach, Josh Fisher, raved about Jayden last month to Extra Inning Softball calling her:
“… a 5-tool player, who is excellent in the MIF, as well as having the ability to play each position of the outfield, at the highest of levels. Jayden has sensational range, arm, hands, reads the ball well, understands the game and has all of the tools.”
Landing Top 10 players is rarified air for the Hokies, but their successes on the field and the upward trending of the program overall has recently helped them capture Top 25-caliber talent including current Hokies junior infielder Cameron Fagan (#21) in 2020 and current sophomore utility player Brianna Peck (#21) in 2021.
According to Techsideline.com Softball Beat Writer Chip Grubb, the latest commits are just another step in the growth of softball in Blacksburg.
“Softball’s recent success that cumulated in the school hosting the NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals last year has caused fan interest to explode,” he begins.
“Not only did the school sell out the post-season games in less than an hour, but the excitement has also carried over to this year. There were over 1,000 fans at the first fall ball game and if you look closely at the Twitter picture that Jayden posted during her visit, you’ll see Athletic Director Whit Babcock in the frame.”
Top prospects have also noticed that the softball program has the strong support of the university’s administration.
“Having an AD who is interested in softball recruits will only help Coach D’Amour’s efforts,” Chip continues. “(Former Virginia Tech Hokies star pitcher) Keely Rochard was even invited to lead the ‘Let’s Go Hokies’ cheer before a football game and the softball team was honored on the field between quarters.”
The beat writer sums it up succinctly when he concludes, talking specifically about Va Tech’s softball program, that:
“I’ve somewhat jokingly said that ‘VT’ is becoming a softball school! Good things are happening in Blacksburg!”
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
