Wesleyan lands Lady Rebel ace Monday

Photo by Leslie Karnowski

Brittany Monday puts pen to paper last week.

Photo by Brandon Shinn

Maryville senior Brittany Monday signs a National Letter of Intent with Tennessee Wesleyan College last week at the high school. With Monday are, left to right, her father, Jay, mother, Rhonda, brother, Dustin, and sister, Kasey.

Brittany Monday changes everything for Tennessee Wesleyan.

The Maryville High School ace signed a National Letter of Intent with the Lady Bulldogs last week, landing for Wesleyan one of the biggest prizes Blount County has to offer for the spring sports season.

“To me, she’s a Division I prospect all the way,” Lady Rebel coach Ken Hawkins said. “This is where she wants to go play, and Tennessee Wesleyan is mighty fortunate to have her.”

The Lady Bulldogs won’t waste any time putting Monday’s right arm to good use, either, Wesleyan assistant coach Cyndy Davis said.

“We’re really excited to get her,” she said. “We’re hoping she’ll come in as a freshman and make a little noise.”

Should be more like a really big bang with Monday’s numbers.

The Lady Rebel senior compiled a .803 earned run average last season in pitching Maryville to within a game of the Class AAA state tournament. Along the way, the athletic right-hander struck out 210 batters.

Dominant on the high school scene since her debut, freshman season, Monday’s options on the college level were anything but limited. A star in the classroom at Maryville as well, Monday said she settled on Wesleyan because it fit best with what she wanted to do both in college and beyond. The Maryville standout plans to pursue nursing as a career, with Wesleyan offering one of the area’s top programs.

“I know I’m not going there to play for an All-American team and make a living at softball,” Monday said, “so I need to concentrate on my studies.”

The Lady Bulldogs are getting a pitcher who can take their program to never-before-seen heights as a consequence.