Alexa Dannettelle said a big reason she chose to play college softball at IUPUC in Columbus is because of the way she was treated when she visited the campus.

The Seymour High School senior made the announcement Monday that she is going to play at IUPUC, where she will join former Seymour teammate Alexia Rieckers, who is a freshman for the Crimson Pride this spring.

“I really like Tommi (Stowers) and the way she coached. I’m really excited for that,” Dannettelle said. “I like that Columbus is kind of smaller for me, and I feel like I can fit in better in smaller schools.”

Owls head softball coach Emily Bobb said Dannettelle is a great leader for the high school program.

“Whether it’s on the field or in the dugout, we can expect her to lead by example,” Bobb said. “She is very coachable, and those are great qualities she’ll take with her to the next level.”

Bobb talked about Dannettelle’s defense.

“She is somebody to have behind the plate when you really need to have the ball stopped and not get to the backstop, and she’s a leader on the field at that position, as well,” she said.

“We can depend on her for some line drives and hits in the gaps,” Bobb added. “I definitely think she has an opportunity to make an immediate impact. She has been coached before by coach Stowers, which is an advantage to her.”

She said she’s looking forward to seeing Dannettelle’s leadership and coaching skills translate to college softball.

“I look forward to her taking those leadership skills and that coachability on with her to the collegiate level,” Bobb said. “It’s very exciting. Any time we get to watch a player through her full high school career, then continue her career to the collegiate level is something to be really proud of.”

Bobb also spoke on the battery reunion of Rieckers and Dannettelle in Columbus.

“It will be good to see Alexia Rieckers and Alexa kind of reunite as pitcher-catcher at IUPUC,” she said.

Stowers was an assistant coach on the Seymour staff in 2022.

Dannettelle said she began playing softball in the Seymour recreational league at age 8, then began playing travel ball at age 10-11, and this spring will be her fourth season with the Lady Owls.

Dannettelle said playing travel ball has been a big help to her high school career. The travel teams she played with have either been based in Seymour or Columbus.

“It has helped me a lot,” she said. “It showed me everything, like how to be a teammate, and helped me practice more because I’m outside all the time basically.”

She has been a catcher throughout her career.

“I’ve caught everywhere,” she said. “Catching keeps me focused in the game and keeps me going everywhere. Blocking the ball is the hardest thing to do.”

She said catching an outside pitch where she has to catch the ball back-handed is pretty difficult at times, depending on the pitch.

“We have to have quick reflexes back there,” she said.

She batted either fourth or fifth for the Owls last spring and said she enjoys hitting.

“I try to hit line drives in the gaps and try to get them in,” she said.

She is hoping to be selected as a team captain this spring.

“I like being a leader, trying to get my team to victory,” Dannettelle said. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of teamwork and leadership and vocally speaking to each other. Playing for Seymour has been really fun. The school is great, the teams I have been on for the past three years have been pretty good and we’ve worked hard.”

Stowers said she will lose a senior catcher after this season, so that will give Dannettelle an opportunity to battle for the starting catching position right away.

“I feel like she’ll bring a lot to the table,” Stowers said. “I think her personality also will connect with the girls and the culture. Already having a Seymour girl is nice.”

The coach also said keeping the kids in the area is nice because they’re already familiar with one another.

“It’s nice to keep all the Columbus kids together because they’ve all played travel ball together,” she said.

IUPUC plays its home games at Ceraland.