JDCHS senior Presley Whetman gets softball scholarship

Two-time All-State softball player Presley Whetman, from Juan Diego Catholic High School, signed a national letter-of-intent Jan. 20 to play for the College of Southern Nevada.

“I’m so excited,” Whetman said. “It was my number one choice of schools and has a really good softball program.”

New coach Callen Perreira at CSN was a major factor in Whetman’s decision. “He is going to come in and do some good things and help me improve,” she said.

The daughter of Terry Hall of Sandy has been on the field since she was young, playing baseball until the age of 13. She switched over to softball and went through an adjustment period. “I was really bad,” she said. “I thought playing with all girls and the way they pitched was so weird.”

Within just two years, Whetman had transformed from a baseball pitcher into a First Team All-State centerfielder. In 2010, she was named First Team All-State as a sophomore. Last year, she helped the Soaring Eagle squad to a 15-9 record while being named Second Team All-State.

“As a centerfielder, I get a great viewpoint of the game and I feel like I can be a leader out there,” Whetman said. “And even though softball is a team sport, it is also about being able to individually execute.”

Whetman feels the sport has also helped her in interacting with teammates and overcoming negative things -- lessons she has learned for life off the field as well. The senior is also a member of the girls basketball team, student government, the National Honor Society and the Ultimate Frisbee team at JDCHS.

In college, Whetman plans to major in pre-medicine. “Softball has been a big contributor to my life, but academically is where I’m going to get more out of life,” she said. “I am so grateful though, that I can still play softball for a while longer.”