Another DCHS Tigerettes softball player will be extending their career into the college ranks after local standout Jacey Hatfield signed on to play Cumberland University Phoenix in Lebanon. Hatfield, this year’s DCHS Salutatorian, said she is going to study pre-medicine and later become a pediatric nurse.
The Daughter of Jeremy and Jennifer Hatfield, Jacey was joined by family, friends, and teammates last Thursday morning at the DCHS gym, where the signing ceremony was held.
“I’ve worked my whole life for this,” Hatfield said. “I think since I was 10 years old, I played travel ball year-round and I definitely have people who pushed me like my parents and Coach Danny Fish. I think he has taught me more about softball than anybody ever. I am so excited. I guess it’s a relief when you are an athlete to finally sign and know what you are going to do with your future, at least for the next four years.”
When asked why she chose Cumberland, Hatfield said it was the comfortable choice. “I’ve played softball my whole life and I didn’t want it to become like a job. I wanted to go somewhere where I enjoyed it and had fun, and I didn’t want to go far away from home. I thought Cumberland was perfect. I went and practiced with them and knew that is where I was going.”
Hatfield’s coach, Danny Fish had high praise for his star player. “We are proud of Jacey. She has worked her entire life for this moment, and I am glad to see it happen for her. She is a hard worker and has been a great player for us. She’s been starting for us since she was a freshman.”
“She is a two time All District and will be three time All District this year,” Coach Fish continued. “Of course she missed her sophomore year because of the COVID, but I think she is in the running for Player of the Year in our district. That’s how good she is.”
“Her career batting average is around .480. She has really been a good player for us, and I hate to see her go because she is exactly what a coach wants. She is a good applicator of things you tell her and she is a good leader. We talk about peat and repeat, and she is good at repeating what her coach says and gets the rest of the kids to buy in to what her coach wants to do. Those players just don’t come along often,” Coach Fish concluded.
Hatfield’s new coach at Cumberland, first year head coach Stephanie Theall, said she is excited to have Hatfield join the Phoenix softball program. “I am ridiculously excited to have Jacey. From the moment I saw her I knew I wanted her on my ball team. She steps in between those lines and plays hard and goes hard 100 percent of the time. That’s what I love about her. She is a great student and I think she will bring a lot to our program,” said Coach Theall.
Cumberland is a private university in Lebanon, founded in 1842 and is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Mid-South Conference.
