By Marty Gordon
One of the reasons for the success of the Auburn High School softball program has been the play of senior Hannah Shepherd. Wednesday, she announced her commitment to play next season at Roanoke College.
Shepherd said Roanoke was her choice for multiple reasons.
“It’s a great school with lots to offer. I will be getting a great education and have the ability to continue to play the sport that I love. I get all of that while still being close to home.”
Shepherd has been a part of two state championships while at Auburn. So far this season, she is hitting at a .442 clip with 54 hits, 10 homeruns, 44 runs scored, 48 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
Roanoke College is a private liberal arts college in Salem, Virginia with an enrollment of 2,000 students.
The college is a member of the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) since the 1976–77 academic year.
This past week, Roanoke’s softball team made it the Championship Series of the 2022 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Softball Championship Tournament and had a regular season record of 30-12.
Mike Mitchell is in his 14th year at the helm of the Roanoke softball program and has amassed over 300 wins at the school.
Shepherd expects to play outfield and maybe some first base for the Maroons.
“I have a lot of goals for my future in softball. I want to really earn my spot on the Roanoke team. I want to become stronger defensively and earn my spot as a first baseman. I want to continue to thrive offensively as well,” she said.
Shepherd plans to major in Psychology.at Roanoke College.