By MATT PIKE
Standout Lathrop softball player Jacie Kassanavoid has officially signed to continue her career at Virginia Tech, after announcing her commitment to the university last November.
Kassanavoid left her mark at Lathrop on the diamond, putting her name in the record books with the marks for most hits (51), batting average (.574), home runs (12), RBI's (46), and runs scored (52), while also holding the career records for the Mules in home runs and career batting average.
Coming from a small school, and smaller town in northwest Missouri, even Kassanavoid admits it still feels a little crazy signing to head to Blacksburg, Virgina and play for the Hokies.
"Coming from a small school you always hear you're not going to be able to do this, you have to go to a big school to do this, but honestly I proved those people wrong and I followed my dreams and everyone that was behind me and my support system," Kassanavoid tells reporters. "So you can always achieve your goals and don't let anyone tell you you can't."
While Kassanavoid has played basketball at Lathrop for three years of her high school career, heading into her fourth this winter with the Lady Mules, but played just two seasons on the softball diamond. Head Coach Ashley Hutchcraft says in those two years, Kassanavoid has left her impact on the program, not just in the record books.
"I talked about just how she's a true competitor and brings that competitive spirit to our team, and that winning mindset is contagious among all of us," Hutchcraft says. "She's just an amazing athlete, an amazing human being, has been a great leader, its been amazing to work with her and I will always remember that and she's just set us up to continue that success into the future."
Which has always been a goal for Kassanavoid, wherever she goes, something she'll even to carry to Blacksburg in her time with Virginia Tech.
"Honestly I've told people younger than me just to leave this place better than you found it, and that's kind of what I wanted to do when I got here," Kassanavoid says. "I know I only did it for two years but I wanted to leave this softball program better than I found it, and just continue doing what you're doing and you don't have to be from a big school to do that."
In her two seasons, Kassanavoid is an all conference, all district, all region, and all state player. The Mules were a combined 42-14 across those two seasons with two district championship game appearances and two second place finishes in Class 2 District 7.
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