A trio of Thomas Dale diamond standouts recently announced their commitments to continue their athletic and academic careers.
Rising senior and reigning Village News softball player of the year Lauryn King is committed to West Virginia Wesleyan. Abby Nyquist, also a rising senior, is going to Christopher Newport. Taylor Byrd, a 2016 graduate, will attend William Peace University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
King, an outfielder, has been described as a five-tool player. In baseball and softball, that’s an athlete that hits for both average and power, while running the bases well, displaying good arm strength, and fielding their position well. For the Knights, King was a leader on the field and off, and will look to step up even more in a leadership role as a senior in 2016-17. She’ll share that leadership role with Grace DiMarino and Nyquist.
“She [King] is everything you’d want in a player,” said coach Dennis Jones.
The TSI Titans are King’s travel team.
A first baseman, Nyquist anchors the right side of the diamond for Thomas Dale. A sure-handed fielder in the words of Jones, she’s capable of playing any position in the infield. Defense is one of her calling cards, as she has excellent range and reaction times on balls hit her way. Nyquist was also one of the Knights’ top offensive options.
“Both girls will be great additions to their college teams,” Jones said. “But they both have a big senior year coming up with a great group to play with.”
Nyquist plays her travel softball with Virginia Glory Premier.
Byrd, an infielder, played mostly in a reserve role her senior year after starting as a sophomore and junior. A versatile player on the diamond, she has a penchant for the positive.
“She’s got a great attitude, she’s a good kid,” said Jones of Taylor.
She’ll join her older sister Jordyn on the roster for the Pacers. Jordyn played two years at Richard Bland and then played out her junior year at William Peace being named All-Academic and All-Sportsmanship.
