For junior Molly Milligan, spring break brought more than just a pause from classes; it brought a dream come true. Monday, she received an athletic softball scholarship offer from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, a program she had set her sights on since freshman year.

“I’ve been wanting to go to Benedictine since my freshman year, when I met the coaches at a camp, and it’s been on the top of my list for three years,” Milligan said. “So to finally get that, it just validated everything that I’ve been working towards.” 

A seasoned veteran softball player, Milligan has been competing since the age of three. What started as a sport her dad forced her to play became a lifelong passion for the game. In fact, now it is her dad who she considers the person who is most supportive of her and her future. 

“He’s always made time for me,” Milligan said. “Actually, one Christmas, he got us a batting cage in our backyard, and no matter how busy he is, he’ll always take time to help me, and he’s just that person that I look to whenever something’s going on.” 

Following a tough high school season, Milligan reflected on the challenges it presented.

“Honestly, my hitting wasn’t very good at all, and I really struggled coming off of a really great travel season with the highest batting average going and dropping 200 for school ball, and that was really hard, because I was wanting a lot of stats and a lot of videos to send to these coaches, but I had to keep working through that,” Milligan said.

Despite the challenges, Milligan is excited for the next level of her softball career in college. 

“I’m just excited for the competition. Just everybody wanting to be there, and everybody competing for the same goal is going to be a lot of fun,” Milligan said.