DANVILLE – Danville senior Aiden Bell signed his National Collegiate Letter of Intent on Nov. 18. He has chosen to go to Tiffin University, where he will run track.
His signing came two days after Blue Devils softball pitcher Maddie Wine committed to attend Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Both student-athletes will play one more season for Danville before taking the next step in their lives.
Bell, a long jumper and sprinter, will be studying exercise science.
“I want to be a physical therapist or an athletic trainer, just so I can be in sports when I get older,” Bell told the Mount Vernon News. “I want to be around (sports) because this is what I love.”
Tiffin has been Bell’s choice since his freshman year.
“I chose Tiffin because I like the campus and how everybody is there,” Bell said, “It’s a small-town (atmosphere) like Danville. Everybody knows each other and it’s just somewhere I’d like to be.”
Bell and Wine both missed last spring's seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Hopefully, we get a chance to compete this spring,” Bell said. “If we do have a season, then hopefully our team does better. Hopefully we go to districts and regionals and, hopefully, I do better myself.”
Wine might not be familiar to many because she has never pitched a game for the Blue Devils, but she has been a team leader in Danville's softball program through some of their toughest times. She pitched for Clear Fork in her freshman and sophomore years, then transferred to Danville as a junior. She has played an important role with the team ever since.
“We were really excited to see what she could do last year with the group of seniors we had,” Danville coach Charlie Duncan said. “Of course that didn't happen. This year, she has taken a huge leadership role for us. She is definitely a team captain. You can pick a captain, but you can't pick a leader.”
Wine is sticking close to home. On Nov. 16, she signed her Letter of Intent to play softball at the Naz while she follows her life’s ambition.
“I wanted to be around my family,” Wine told the News. “Also, I'll get a great education because I want to be a nurse.”
In fact, she wants to be a nurse practitioner in or close to Knox County.
“I've always wanted to be a nurse from the time I can remember,” she said. “I've always liked helping people.”
Wine has been keeping in tune pitching for the Triple Crown Royals travel ball team.
“I’ve been working on my riseball and my changeup,” she said. “I want to use my riseball as my power pitch, so I’ve been working on that.”
