After concluding her senior season with the Cardington softball team, Kierson George will move on to the challenges presented in that sport by the Big 10.

On Wednesday, George officially signed her letter of intent to play for Purdue — a university that had been her top option for years.

“It was a homey feeling,” she said about why she liked the Boilermaker campus. “I love the coaches there and fell in love with the facilities and overall culture.”

George noted that much of the legwork in the recruiting process happened for her in middle school, saying that Purdue and other universities started looking at her after she hit a triple off a Washington commit during a travel ball game.

“Freshman year is when they were looking at me,” she said. “I asked what the deadline was and within the next week couldn’t wait any more. The recruiting period for me was in middle school. I knew a couple girls picked up in their eighth grade year that I’d played with.”

Throughout her high school career, George has been a staple of Cardington’s starting line-up, playing in the outfield and also providing a lot of offense for a team that’s advanced to either the Division III FInal Four or state championship game in each of her first three years. Last year, she was a first-team selection in the KMAC and also earning honorable mention recognition on the All-Ohio squad.

She added that those high-intensity high school games, as well as her time with the Chicago Bandits travel team, will be good preparation for playing for a Division I college program. She said that being a Division I athlete will be an exciting step for her.

“Honestly, just the hype of being a Division I athlete,” she said. “Just the jump from high school and travel to Division I. I think just getting the college experience of being a softball athlete. Since the age of six, that’s what I’ve dreamed of my entire life.”

George is planning to major in general biology with the expectation of moving on to being an orthodontist or in another branch of medicine. She added that the main thing she’ll need to work on in college is time management to balance studying with athletics and other aspects of collegiate life.

“It’ll be crazy,” she said of moving on to college. “I’m super-excited to get this opportunity in life. I’m so ready to experience a different aspect of life and softball.”

Cardington senior Kierson George signs her letter of intent to play softball for Purdue University. Sitting with George are (l-r) her brother, Garrett, her mother, Jessica, and her father, Cecil.
https://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2019/11/web1_georgesigning.jpgCardington senior Kierson George signs her letter of intent to play softball for Purdue University. Sitting with George are (l-r) her brother, Garrett, her mother, Jessica, and her father, Cecil. Rob Hamilton | Morrow County Sentinel

By Rob Hamilton

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Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext. 1807. Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS