Former Maiden catcher Averie Waddell has been set to play softball at UNC Charlotte for almost two years now. She committed to the school in October 2022.
This summer, everything changed.
UNCC head coach Ashley Chastain departed for South Carolina. Most of her assistants went with her, and with the NCAA’s new transfer rules in effect, many of the team’s players hit the portal.
“When I decommitted from Charlotte, I think there were about six rostered players left,” Waddell said. “I thought it was time to explore some other options.”
At the same time, Baylor University was looking for another catcher to shore up that position after two graduations, a transfer and an injury. The two circumstances came together perfectly for Waddell. Last week, she committed to Baylor.
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Making the change
There are a lot of similarities between Baylor and Charlotte. Both are Division I schools. Both are strong programs that made deep playoff runs last season. But there are also quite a few differences.
For one, Baylor University is more than 1,000 miles away from Maiden. Charlotte is less than 70. Averie's father, Scott Waddell, said he’s not worried about the distance.
“To be honest, we were more surprised about the distance to Charlotte,” he said. “We always felt like she would likely be playing outside that three-hour window.”
He said the opportunities available to Averie in the Big 12 plus Baylor’s history as a faith-based school far outweigh any concerns over distance. Averie said moving to a new state is actually something she is excited about.
“During my initial recruitment process, I was looking for a school that was out of state,” she said. “I’ve lived in Hickory my entire life … I decided that I wanted something new. I want a new experience and to meet new people.”
While she said she thinks the program in Charlotte will bounce back, the uncertainty there combined with the opportunity to live in Texas and play in the Big 12 were enough for Averie to make the jump.Â
“I’ve always liked the state of Texas,” she said. “I’ve played there a few times. I’ve been there some and it has just always felt like home.”
Pivoting at the last minute
Averie is set to report to campus in less than a month. It may not be ideal to make a change this significant on such short notice, but Averie said everything is coming together.
“It all happened within about a two to two-and-a-half week span,” she said. “It has been an adjustment for sure, but I wouldn’t say it has been a bad adjustment.”
She is looking forward to getting the transition behind her and beginning the process of competing for a roster spot.
“I wouldn’t say that I’m not nervous,” she said. “I’m super excited for the challenge … with any incoming freshman going into any university, they want to come in and they want to compete and they want to play, and that’s what I’m gong to do … we’ll see what happens and how it all shakes out.”
She will be on a team in one of the most competitive softball conferences in the nation. Oklahoma State finished 49-12 last season and newcomer Arizona was one of the top teams in the now-defunct PAC-12. Baylor will also still have to deal with Texas and Oklahoma in non-conference games. They will also face Duke and UCLA.Â
“It’s like going through a gauntlet every weekend," Averie said. “Just being in the Big 12, I think, is a step up. Simply playing these bigger schools and this wider travel schedule that we’ll have.”
Softball power
Baylor is a perennial powerhouse and a program with a long, stable history. It’s one of the things that drew her there.
Head coach Glenn Moore has been at the helm since 2001. Since then, he has led the team to 15 NCAA Regional appearances, four College World Series and a national championship, racking up 14 40-plus win seasons along the way.Â
“He’s built this program from the ground up,” Averie said. “It's definitely a strong program that I’m going into, and I’m so excited to have that challenge and be able to work with girls at that level.”
Balancing act
Compounding the challenges on the field, Waddell plans to be a pre-med major. She said she knows it will be tough balancing a rigorous major and a full softball schedule. But she said she thinks she’s up to the challenge.
“The pre-med major is actually pretty common in the roster for softball," she said. "They have the administration and the resources to get me through that tough major.”
Getting prepared
The move to Baylor hasn’t changed Averie's plan to get herself ready for the next level.
“I’m finishing up my final travel ball season,” she said. “Next week will be my final travel tournament.”
Her team, Chattanooga-based Fury Platinum X 18U Higdon, will compete in the Alliance Fastpitch National Championship Series in Kokomo, Indiana, next week. To get ready for nationals, Averie and her teammates played a pair of exhibition games against Chattanooga’s professional softball team, the Chattanooga Steam, last week.
Other than that, Averie is working on her own, getting in a few extra reps before she leaves for the Big 12.Â
“I’m in the cage working, getting fit, trying to be the best I can when I step on campus,” she said.