Ringgold shortstop Devan Brown gets ready to field the ball against Northwest Whitfield in August.RINGGOLD, Ga. - If there is one thing Rachel Hodge knows about Devan Brown, it's that she will never back down from a challenge. So when the Ringgold High School softball star signs with Kennesaw State University on Thursday, Hodge believes it's the start of something big.
"Devan is just a go-getter, and she will go after every single opportunity that presents itself at Kennesaw," Hodge said of Brown, who hit .394 with five homers, 16 doubles, 33 RBIs and 38 runs scored this season for the Region 5-AAA champions. "She had a fantastic season for us and really grew into a leadership role. For example, third base is her natural position, but we asked her to play shortstop and she was great."
Brown, after visiting the KSU campus and talking with coach Wes Holly and former Kennesaw and Ringgold star Jessica Cross, regrets only that she has to wait a few months to get started.
"I love everything about it -- the fact it's close to here and it's a great program," said Brown, who played summer ball with coach Kirk Lewis and the star-studded Tennessee Fury. "Winning is a big thing to me, and we're going to win and I'm going to improve as a player. Jessica loved it there, and she said Coach Holly will get the best out of me. I'm very confident it's going to be a great experience."
Hodge believes Brown will carry on the Ringgold tradition at Kennesaw, where Cross graduated as one of the program's all-time greats.
"Devan has joked with Jessica that she's going to try and break some of her records at Kennesaw," Hodge said. "That's saying a lot, but when she puts her mind to it I know she will give it all she has."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.