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GRAFTON, Mass. — Grafton High School senior Ali Page will sign a letter of intent to play softball for Bryant University after being recruited by several top-tier colleges.
Page, who was the catcher for the 2012 state champion Grafton High softball team, plans to study international business at the school in Smithfield, R.I.
"She was recruited by all the Ivy League schools," said her father Dan Page. "She probably had a dozen schools that wanted her, and she gave it a lot of thought."
Bryant's study abroad program, academics and head coach Lisa-Ann Wallace were the deciding factors, said Page, an honor roll student. She is expected to officially sign her letter of intent next month.
"I literally walked onto campus and thought, 'This is it,'" Page said. "The school is beautiful. The coach is incredible. I think it's going to be the right place for me."
Page has been playing softball since preschool, starting with T-ball before moving through the ranks of Grafton Girls Softball. She took on the position of catcher at the age of 10.
"I wanted it because of the equipment," she said with a laugh. "I thought it was pretty. I was always into the accessories."
The accessories turned out to be a perfect match for Page's skills. She played for the Grafton Diamonds, Rhode Island Thunder and Central Mass Thunder teams, as well as the state champion 2010 Grafton Junior League Softball team.
Page has been a standout during her three years on the team and will serve as a captain in the spring as the team defends its state title, Grafton High School Coach John Gemme said.
"One of the strongest parts of our game is she does a great job handling our pitcher," he said. "There's not much that gets by her. Hitting-wise, she made probably the biggest hit we had all season in our game against Hudson.
"She's always given everything she has," Gemme added. "She's a big asset to the team, a good role model, and she will be a great addition for Bryant."
Comments (2)
Congratulations Ali. All of your hard work has paid off for you. I could not be more proud.
Thank you for for the countless hours you have spent at pitching lessons with Kendal.
It has been a ton of fun for me coaching and watching you play over the years.
Mike Roy
Congratulations Ali!
We are all extremely proud of you. You have been a great role model for the girls in our program. Your work ethic and humility are qualities that we hope every player emulates. We appreciate you giving back to the program by working with the younger players during the offseason and summer.
We look forward to watching you and your GHS teammates play during your senior year. Bryant University is getting not just a great player, but a great person.
Peter Cardoza
Grafton Girls Softball