Senior Madeleine Hart worried about where she would go for college. She wanted to play softball for a school, but wasn’t sure that would happen.

On Jan. 16, Hart’s wish came true when she officially signed with Hinds College in Mississippi to play softball with the Eagles.

Two weeks later, she took part in signing day with dozens of other seniors across the county, including other Panther athletic standouts like Maddie Guerra and Carter Floyd.

While Hart is excited for the new life college will bring, she knows that she will miss all of the people and events K-Park placed in her path.

“I’m excited to go to college and experience new things that I couldn’t living here in Texas,” Hart said, “but I’m also going to miss all the friends I’ve made here because I’m going away alone.”

Hart is looking forward to next season, hoping for a batting average of .600 and an on-base percentage of .600. She also wants to become a better player all around.

Kingwood Park has helped push her to improve her softball skill sets and her participation in other sports have groomed her into a well-rounded player and teammate on and off the field.

Hart, who has been on the varsity basketball team for three years, values basketball for Coach LeighAnn Wolfe’s ability to understand and work with the fact that every person is different and has different talents.

“That really has impacted me,” Hart says, regarding Wolfe. “Because not everyone can do what I can do. And I definitely can’t do what other people do. And I see now that people are built differently and built for different things.”

Her teammates wished her good luck in her future years as an Eagle playing ball in college, but will be sad to see the day come.

“I look up to her,” said sophomore Shelby Rollo, who has been playing with Hart for eight years. “She is a leader on and off the field and she will be missed next year.”