JOHN DAY — Grant Union/Prairie City pitching ace Drew Williams is going to continue her softball career at the collegiate level.

Scores of friends, family and teammates descended upon the Grant Union Jr./Sr. High School gym during the lunch hour on Thursday, May 9, to witness her sign a letter of intent to play softball at the College of Idaho in Caldwell starting next season. The school is highly competitive in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, finishing 15th in the final NAIA softball poll of 2024.

“I’m super proud of Drew and I’m happy to see all of her teammates here supporting her,” her father and Grant Union/Prairie City head softball coach Zach Williams said. “She told them at practice on Monday that she knew she couldn’t get here without her teammates, so she wanted them here to support her.”

Drew has carried the dream of playing collegiate level softball with her since she was 7 years old, according to her father. Signing a letter of intent to do just that is an event that was years in the making.

“This day is a big deal to her, for sure,” Williams said. “This is what she’s always worked for — she wanted to go play in college. That’s what she wanted to do.”

Seven-year-old Drew had a strong desire to play college ball at UCLA, but she found a school and coaching staff at the College of Idaho that fit her, according to her father.

Drew’s journey to the College of Idaho began with travel ball and camps, which led to contacts and connections. Eventually, the College of Idaho’s head softball coach asked Drew to participate in a tournament that pitted travel ball teams against his collegiate squad.

“She pitched against them (College of Idaho) and we went back in January and he said, ‘If you come, we would like to have you,’” Williams said.

For Drew, the event was filled with a mix of emotions.

“At first I think it was more of a relief, and now that it’s all coming in a few months, it’s more exciting, definitely nerve-wracking because I won’t have my dad by my side or my brother,” she said. “But I’m really excited — it’s definitely taken a lot of weight off my shoulders.”

Drew will be well taken care of in Caldwell as the recipient of the highest presidential academic scholarship she could obtain. While the private College of Idaho can’t pay for her room and board, Drew said she will have her entire tuition covered by the institution.

Drew said she hopes that her journey toward playing collegiate softball will serve as inspiration for other kids from small towns who have aspirations of continuing their sports careers in college.

“I’ve always loved to be kind of a leader for little girls,” she said. “I love working with all of them, and I hope that this just shows to every little girl or little boy that even if we’re from a small town, we can still go on to the collegiate level.”

Drew is the second Grant Union/Prairie City softball player in as many years to sign a letter of intent to play college ball.

Last year, former Grant Union/Prairie City first baseman Raney Anderson signed a letter of intent to play softball at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin falls.