Earlier this week, Ella Cady—a talented 2023 outfielder at Clarkston (Mich.) High and a member of Donny Dreher’s successful Finesse Fastpitch organization—announced that she has committed to Illinois and looks forward to playing in the Big Ten:
I am so excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and softball career at the University of Illinois! Thank you to everyone who has helped me during this journey! Can’t wait and go Illini! 🧡💙@IlliniSB @FinesseOrg @CTownAthletic @Ltrout07 @TyraPerry13 @lmcmahon7 pic.twitter.com/lYkVcQe2vz
— Ella Cady (@cady_ella) August 15, 2022
Additionally, she told Extra Inning Softball:
“I am very grateful to be able to attend the University of Illinois and be a part of Coach (Tyra) Perry’s softball program. Along with Coach (Laura) Trout and Coach (Lance) McMahon, Illinois has built a consistent winner and NCAA tournament participant. Thank you to all of my coaches, family, Clarkston High School Softball & Finesse Fastpitch! ILL-INI!”
And then she added something else interesting….
“I am also looking forward to playing in an expanded Big Ten and being able to compete against my sister, Hannah (Northwestern), for one year.”
That’s right… if the Cady surname sounds familiar, it’s likely because college softball aficionados know Hannah Cady, the sophomore infielder who started all 58 games at third base for the Wildcats in 2022 and batted .284 with 10 home runs.
Hannah earned 1st Team All-Big Ten Conference honors as she hit .371 with seven homers in inter-conference action following her strong prep career at Clarkston High where she was a three-time All-State honoree and was also named as a 1st Team Extra Inning Softball All-American.
You would think the two sisters would have played together at least once on the same team growing up and that was scheduled to happen two years ago… until a worldwide pandemic put a stop to it.
The athletes’ father recounts what happened.
“We were very excited for the 2020 Michigan high school season to begin,” remembers Jack Cady. “Ella was one of four Freshman to make Clarkston’s varsity softball team that year. The expectations were high as Clarkston had a loaded roster with several D1 commits including Hannah, who was headed to play at Northwestern the following year.”
“With two MHSAA Final Fours over the previous three seasons and most of the roster back, Clarkston more than likely would been ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls and had a great chance to bring home the high school’s first softball state championship,” Jack Cady continues. “Unfortunately, for all of the Spring athletes, the day after cuts the MHSAA postponed and eventually canceled the season.
“Having never been on the same team before, having both Hannah and Ella play for the Wolves would have made for a fun season to watch. Also, Ella really missed out playing and learning from the upperclassmen that year.”
The youngest in the family of four agrees.
“I was really looking forward to playing with Hannah and the other Clarkston upperclassmen in 2020,” Ella recalls. “We would have had a really good team that year.”
The incoming high school senior currently plays on the Finesse – Dreher/Peters 18U team and was All-Region and All-State Honorable Mention last year.
Her father adds:
“Ella started a little late in playing a national-type schedule. Her first true national team was Finesse 14U – Dreher/Bressler.”
Today, she’s also considered a hard worker with a high ceiling who has continued to get faster, strong and better each season.
A large part of it, certainly, has been the younger player watching her older sister as a good example of hard work, dedication and love for the game with a front row seat to observe the hard work it takes academically and athletically to excel as part of a Big Ten roster.
“I’ve always looked up to Hannah as far as athletics and academics,” Ella explains. “I love her work ethic on and off the field and her will to win.”
Hannah has similar feelings towards her younger sister.
“I have always admired Ella’s determination and her ability to grow in some of the toughest situations,” she says.
And she too shares the disappointment of missing that narrow window of time when they would have played on the same fields as teammates.
“Throughout high school, I was always looking forward to my senior year season because I knew that I would finally be able to play with my sister and make some great memories with her,” Hannah notes. “However, when COVID hit, this opportunity was taken away, so I am grateful now that I will be able to play and compete with her team in college.”
Alhough his daughters won’t be in the same dugout playing together, Jack is happy that he and his wife Petra will get to enjoy watching their girls playing on the same field, even if it’s against each other.
“With Ella going to be part of the Illinois softball program,” the proud father concludes, “we will at least be able watch their two teams play each other for one season. For those games we will have to wear both Purple (Northwestern) and Orange (Illinois)! Go Illini! Go Cats!”
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
