After finishing her senior year at Highland High School, Stevie Asher will be able to continue playing softball at the next level when she attends West Virginia University Institute of Technology.
Asher, who will major in mechanical engineering, noted that the campus’ location played a big role in her choice.
“I just love the campus,” she said. “The campus was small and that was what I was looking for. It gave me a very home-like feel and I love the mountains.”
It also didn’t hurt that she was looking forward to seeing a new part of the country.
“Just getting to see a new area,” she said. “I’ve been in Knox and Morrow counties my whole life, so getting to see new things.”
Asher also looked at M.I.T. and Case Western as possibilities, but West Virginia Tech had been her preferred choice for some time.
“It was a pretty quick decision,” she said. ” I like the coach and the girls on the team. It just seemed right. I’ve been looking at West Virginia Tech for about three years, since i was a freshman.”
Softball is in Asher’s blood. She had hopes of playing at the collegiate level since she was nine years old. Currently, when not playing the sport, she also coaches a 10-U club, with many of those players attending her Monday evening college signing.
“All the girls are eight and nine, though,” she said of her 10-U club. “I actually started my own travel ball organization. I wanted to start fresh and give back to the softball community from a new angle. It’s great. I love it; they’re great. I go to my own pitching lessons and then have practice with them. It’s fun.”
As a player who progressed through youth ball up to signing at the collegiate level, Asher has advice for younger players about making that dream become a reality.
“No matter what people say about the odds of getting into college, just work hard and you’ll get there,” she said. “You’ll get there if you work hard and give 110 percent.”
Asher is hoping hard work leads her to a successful four years at West Virginia Tech.
“Hopefully, I can just break some more records at the collegiate level,” she said. “Team records, of course, and just enjoy my last four years of playing softball.”
But before that, she’ll have her senior year with the Scots, where her team will try to build upon last year’s trip to the district semifinals.
“Well, I’m hoping we can beat our win record last year,” she said. “Wins in a row — I think we had 10 or 11 last year. There’s also a couple pitching records I have my eye on.”
