Keira Anderson, a Rainier High School senior catcher, is taking her talents to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as she will continue her academic and athletic career at Coe College upon graduation from RHS.
Anderson had been communicating for nearly three months with the coaching staff before visiting the Division III school in the Midwest three weeks ago. She was impressed with both the campus and the softball program, and she announced her commitment to the Kohawks on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
“When I got to their campus, their athletic facilities are super nice, and their nursing program is one of the best in the nation,” Anderson said. “The girls I talked to said it’s family-oriented, and the coach cares about everyone individually, not just the program’s success. The professors are very close since there’s very small class sizes, so you’re very personal with them and they want to see you succeed.”
Anderson was also considering William Penn University about 100 miles east in Oskaloosa as some of her teammates on her select softball team are also going to school in Iowa. But when she reached out to the coaching staff, led by third-year head coach Jake Koolbeck, she knew where she wanted to be.
“It’s an opportunity. It’s been a dream since I was little. Ever since I started, I wanted to play at the next level,” Anderson, who began playing softball in elementary school, said.
The two-time Central 2B All-League first-team honoree is planning to move to Cedar Rapids in the third week of August for school, but first, she has one more season for Rainier to prepare for.
“I really want to dial in my hitting because I’ve been struggling with that a little bit, and I really want to focus behind the plate because sometimes I struggle,” Anderson said.
If Anderson had any struggles hitting as a junior, the stat sheets didn’t show it. She led the Mountaineers in doubles (11), tied for the team lead in home runs (four), and ranked second in batting average (.564), runs batted in (33) and hits (31), while only striking out just six times in 65 plate appearances.
She will bring her skills to a Kohawks team that boasts a 73-22 record over the last two seasons and won its first American Rivers Conference postseason title in 15 years last season.
