Coahulla Creek High School softball standout Reed signs with Truett McConnell University

Published 1:15 pm Monday, December 16, 2024

After four years of excelling in softball at Coahulla Creek High School, senior shortstop Caroline Reed will continue her academic and playing career at a familiar university.

Reed signed with Truett McConnell University’s softball program during a signing party at Edwards Park recently.

A private Baptist university in Cleveland, Georgia, Truett McConnell is a member of the NAIA’s Appalachian Athletic Conference.

Reed will be the third sibling in her family to play for a sports program of the university. Her older brother Sam Reed, a standout baseball player for the Coahulla Creek Colts, signed to play for the university in 2021, while her older sister Brinkley Kate Reed signed to play basketball in early 2023 after becoming the Colts’ all-time leading female scorer.

Caroline Reed will begin as a Truett McConnell Bear during the university’s 2025 season after graduating from high school in May. Although she will be joining her sister on campus, her brother is set to graduate before her arrival.

“I’m extremely excited,” she said. “I feel way less stressed than I thought I would be. I’m super excited I’m going to be with Brinkley.”

At Coahulla Creek, Caroline Reed has had several major accomplishments on and off the field, including being the Dalton Daily Citizen’s All-Area Player of the Year in 2023. She was also named to the Region 6-3A All-Region First Team in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and the Region 7-2A All-Region First Team in 2024.

During this year’s season, Reed said one of her favorite accomplishments was “taking on the role of a leader for the team” as a senior.

“I loved every moment with the girls,” she said. “We got to do a lot of fun things, like decorate the locker room and doing a lot of team bonding.”

Sam Reed said he is “not surprised” to see his younger sister choose Truett McConnell.

“When she was younger, I’d watch her play and I knew that she would definitely get to the next level,” he said. “It doesn’t surprise me that she got there and I definitely see a bright future for her. She had a lot of other schools looking at her, but when she was telling me about her visit (to Truett McConnell), she said it felt like home to her. I knew then that’s where she wanted to be. That’s the advice I gave her, to find somewhere that’s home.”

Sam Reed said he “would tell her to just keep working hard.”

“She’s worked hard her whole life and she’s done good,” he said. “She listens to her family, she listens to her mom and dad, she listens to advice that’s given to her. I’ve told her to keep an open mind, keep working hard and keep giving her best every day.”

Brinkley Kate Reed said she is “proud” of her sister.

“I’m excited because I get to be with her again,” she said. “I’m extremely proud of her and excited to be able to watch her play more, and have her back under my wing again. I’ve always said she’s the best athlete. I always knew that she could do it.”

Although she said she was “excited” to follow in her siblings’ footsteps, Caroline Reed said she originally thought about choosing a different college.

“Initially, I had no interest in Truett because (my siblings) went there and I didn’t want to just be known as just a follower,” she said. “I thought I wanted to go somewhere big, but I really fell in love with (it) because it’s smaller and everyone knows everybody. Everyone is so loving.”

While attending a prospect camp at the university earlier this year, Reed said she was immediately impressed with head softball coach Dylan Reichenberg.

“Coach Reich is a lot like (Coahulla Creek’s head softball coach Josh Swiney),” she said. “I love the way Coach Swiney coaches, so I think it’s a really good thing to know I’m going another four years with coaching like that.”

Swiney, who coached Reed all four years at Coahulla Creek, said she “stands out” as a player and a person.

“Caroline is always a worker and what really stands out about her is the work she has put in during the unseen hours,” Swiney said. “We saw it on the field and at practice, but she’s here today because of the work she did on her own. She loves the sport and she loves the game tremendously. What I love about her is that she’s a great teammate. The girls love her, the coaches love her and we’re going to miss her tremendously.”

Swiney said, just like her siblings, Reed will “thrive” at Truett McConnell.

“She comes from a super athletic family, so it’s nice to see them all end up at the same place,” he said. “She’s going to leave here and she’s going to work even harder at Truett McConnell than she did with us. That’s just her work ethic. She’s going to have a good four years there.”

Steven Rogers, who coached Reed for several years in travel softball as part of the Georgia Force Elite organization, said it “means a lot” for him to see her continue her career post-high school.

“She’s the type of kid and player that all coaches want to coach,” Rogers said. “Her work ethic is there and you knew she was going to do big things.”

Rogers said her potential is great.

“If I had any advice, I’d say keep being a great human being and keep God first in everything you do,” he said. “She’s going to conquer the world.”