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Her name is Briona Rance.
Remember it. You likely will hear it again someday.
Rance is a 2018 National Scouting Report softball prospect who is already committed to play for the University of Missouri.
A prospect must be something special to receive a scholarship offer from a Southeastern Conference softball program as a sophomore. It is, after all, the strongest NCAA softball conference in the land.
So for Missouri head coach Ehren Earleywine to make that gesture, you have to know he projects Rance will be a difference-maker for the Tigers when she arrives on the Columbia campus in three years.
A 6-foot-1 first baseman from Fishers (Ind.) High School, Rance has the resume and stats to warrant such an offer. As a freshman, she hit .370 with three home runs, seven doubles and drove in 17 runs while posting a .589 slugging percentage.
Rance hit for the same average for the Gold Autumn travel team against even tougher pitching. College coaches notice that kind of plate production when playing at a high level. Her size certainly created interest, but when she stepped into the left side of the box and made contact, that pretty much sealed the deal.
But perhaps the most impressive thing about Rance is her maturity. Listen to what she says about the game and her place in it.
“Ever since I started playing softball at the age of five years, I have loved the sport and set my sights on playing in college,” she wrote in her NSR personal message to college coaches. “My height, athleticism, work ethic, and being a high average, lefty power hitter contribute to me being a very unique player. I am also very strong defensively with above average range and arm. I expect a lot of myself and continually aspire to being a truly great player. My primary goal in softball is to be the best player (and person) on the field at all times, no matter who is on the field. As a result, I know I have to work harder than everyone else around me. With all that said, I still much prefer that my play speak for itself.”
Any college coach would be impressed with a prospect who can express herself so succinctly. Throw in that she is only 15, and coaches are blown away.
Rance and her parents took a two-pronged approach to her recruiting, said NSR Indiana scout Sara Rondeau, who enrolled her.
First, they got her in front of coaches by attending a lot of softball camps around the country. Second, they relied on Rondeau to give them advice and to connect with those coaches whose camps they had attended or the family had heard from.
The plan worked.
“Her parents have been great,” Rondeau said. “Her Dad (Bill) would text me every few days asking about a school to check to see what they still needed. He would also have me check on schools whose camps Briona attended to see where she was on their recruiting list. It just gave everyone a better understanding on where these schools were with Briona and if they were really recruiting her.”
Rondeau, who covers the Mid-east section of Indiana for NSR, said Rance is equally impressive outside the lines.
“Briona is driven and has always had a goal of playing softball in college and has been willing to do what it takes,” Rondeau said. “She is a great kid, athlete, leader, and someone you enjoy being around because she is always smiling and have a good time.”
Still, Rance’s softball stats don’t come close to defining this exceptional young woman whose grades and academic goals reflect a serious side of her. A planned pre-med major, Briona boasts a 3.6 GPA in advanced classes. She is involved in multiple school clubs and is also focused on being a true leader.
“I strive to be the best leader possible for my team and teammates,” she said. “I am actively working to be a great and even inspirational leader. I want to be the type of player and person girls will look up to and will be inspired by, like I was with the truly great players that went before me.”
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.