Niceville trio signs with Alabama, South Alabama and Georgetown
· Yahoo Sports
NICEVILLE — For an athletic program that's celebrated 174 signings the previous four years, quality trumped quantity Thursday in Niceville High's packed auditorium as the nation's top high school javelin thrower chose between Alabama, FSU, Oklahoma and TCU and the area's best battery signed with a pair of D-I programs.
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Three young women and their numerous school records and state champion mindsets took center stage to kickstart Niceville's signing season, Shelby Plasier ultimately choosing the crimson Alabama cap, ace Chloe Bailey inking her future with South Alabama and catcher Molly Mayfield signing with Georgetown.
Plasier represented the 49th overall college signing for Eagles coach Emily Webb, the architect behind "Throwsville" and Niceville's five track and field state titles in the last six years. In just three years under Webb, Plasier has skyrocketed through the ranks with state titles her sophomore and junior seasons and now she has the school record with 154-07 feet throw headed into her quest for a three-peat. Alabama, to her, represented the fruition of all her hard work and sacrifices across multiple sports.
"The coach is just amazing and Alabama has a great major for me," said Plasier, who expanded that they'll allow her the freedoms of community outreach and trying new things within the program. "And the track and field team is just outstanding. "They can get me to my goals. I trust the coach completely."
The goals for Plasier extend well beyond winning a third state title and competing for national titles at Alabama. They include the Olympics, a dream that remains on the horizon but one that can take a backseat to the satisfaction from Thursday's signing.
"It's more of an accomplishment for all the hard work I've put in beyond just track, because track has been there just the past three years of my life and sports have always been there," said Plasier, who entered high school as a volleyball and softball star. "I've waited for this day a long time."
So too has Bailey, who by year's end will own the program record in innings pitched, wins, strikeouts and ERA. The senior pitched the Eagles to back-to-back state championship appearances the last two years, and in 2026 she went 20-7 with a 1.38 ERA and 245 strikeouts in 172 1/3 innings. Mind you, she did that while hitting .369 a team-best six home runs and 33 RBIs for the Eagles, who have their eyes on getting over the hump this year.
"We really want it, especially considering it's our senior year," Bailey said. "We have a lot of motivation to get back there and win it all."
At South Alabama, she sees a similar connection to Danny Henlsey in the staff.
"South Alabama is just awesome," Bailey said. "When I went on my first visit there, the campus was beautiful and the coaches were supportive and I just love them, they're so nice. We just have such a great connection."
A great connection would be the perfect way to describe Bailey's relationship with Mayfield, who Hensley praised for her "understanding of the game" and said, "If you asked any freshman to describe Molly, they'd say she was the first person to approach them and make them feel at home."
Not only a strong hitter, Mayfield's arm and leadership have been the cornerstone of Niceville's defense. She'll be essential to Niceville's pursuit of the program's first state title since 2011.
"Third time is a charm, we've been saying," Mayfield said. "The goal is to compete to the best our abilities, have a good showing and win it all."
Signing with Bailey passed the vibes check.
"Chloe's been one of my best friends since we were 10," Mayfield said. "I'm so happy to share this day with her and I was telling her earlier, 'I'm excited to sign with her because we've been on this whole journey together, so this is us putting that mark on it together and then playing for the ending we want."
She has big goals at Georgetown, both on the diamond and in the classroom.
"I'm so honored by the opportunity I've been given to play there," she said. "I really hope to grow there as a person and as an athlete. I want to major in bio-chemistry and minor in government, so I want to explore that and see all I can do there."
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Niceville trio signs with Alabama, South Alabama and Georgetown