Warrenton senior Kiera Daniel always knew her softball career would not end at the high school level. So, on Dec. 13, Daniel signed her official letter of intent to play softball at Jefferson College.

“Stopping right now would just be so sad,” Daniel said. “Leaving high school and not being able to play the sport I played my entire life would be hard.”

Daniel started playing softball when she was in sixth grade. She started with a bat too small for her, a pancake-like glove and not knowing how to stand in the batter’s box correctly.

Despite all of this, Daniel’s progress throughout the years has made her a top player in the school’s program. She is a back-to-back first team all-state player, a member of the 100 hits club, the owner of three school records, a conference player of the year and the list goes on.

Daniel’s decorated career will only continue to expand at the college level. She said what drew her to becoming a Viking was in part due to the financial aspect. The other reason was because of Kaylin Haas, who was a senior on the softball team when Daniel was a freshman.

“That’s where she went [to college] and she was like my role model,” Daniel said. “Her going there kind of drew me to the college and that’s when I started going to camps and everything.”

Daniel plans to major in business administration with a minor in marketing. She says she looks forward to creating a bond with her teammates similar to the one she made at Warrenton.

“I’m excited to be with the girls and get that new experience with them,” Daniel said.