Softball: Huntley’s Clara Hudgens commits to Coastal Carolina

Huntley’s Clara Hudgens entered the summer travel season uncertain whether she would continue playing softball at the next level.

But Hudgens, a Northwest Herald All-Area first-team pick in the spring, was intent on finding the perfect fit and keeping her dream alive.

“My coach always told me, ‘You’ve worked really hard for this, so you might as well keep sending out emails and keep contacting coaches,’ ” Hudgens said. “I really wanted to play. I knew if I didn’t, I would really regret it. I just walked into it like there’s nothing for me to lose.

“I really wanted to walk out of the summer committed.”

Hudgens’ persistence paid off. The Red Raiders graduate found her next home and will continue to play softball at NCAA Division I Coastal Carolina. Hudgens recently visited the Conway, South Carolina, school and announced her commitment to the Chanticleers on July 11.

Hudgens had a quick connection with the school and coaches.

“When I stepped on campus, it was so much different than the pictures and so much better,” Hudgens said. “The campus, the environment, the atmosphere were very lively. It fit all my college requirements, and when I arrived on campus, the coaches were so awesome and so welcoming.

“They made it feel like home for me. So that’s what won me over, the coaches and just how kind they were.”

Hudgens, a center fielder, batted first or second in Huntley’s lineup with a .431 batting average and .515 on-base percentage. She had an area-best eight triples, along with eight doubles, 40 runs scored, 32 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

Huntley captured its third straight Fox Valley Conference title and eighth straight regional title. The Raiders ended the season with a 7-2 loss to Barrington in the Class 4A Hononegah Sectional final.

“I’m really going to miss the atmosphere, the girls and the coaches. I have a lot of great memories. I’m glad that we were able to leave a legacy and I was able to experience what I did because not a lot of people get to experience that.”

—  Clara Hudgens, on her softball career at Huntley

Hudgens didn’t get a freshman season because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was part of the Raiders’ third-place state finisher as a sophomore. That summer, Hudgens tore her ACL, with that injury carrying over into the start of her junior season.

“It was definitely a long nine, 10 months,” Hudgens said. “It was very hard. The first game I watched and you kind of never realize how much you love a sport until an injury like that happens. You’re on the other side and watching everyone else have fun.

“It was a huge setback in my recruiting process. I obviously missed my fall ball for junior year, and that’s probably one of the biggest years for your recruiting process. I still wasn’t looking how I was before. And going into senior year, it’s not ideal for coaches to love you having an ACL tear because you’re obviously more prone to hurting your other knee.”

Hudgens attacked her physical therapy and did four sessions of strength and conditioning every week. She credits Gerry Quinn, her travel coach on Illinois Chill, and hitting coach Jim Donovan for helping her get into playing shape and adding new skills. Hudgens also started going to AIM Sports Performance in Schaumburg.

“I think that helped me develop more skills and make me a more versatile player,” she said. “We thought it would be great to not always have me be a [slap hitter], but also to stationary hit and hit away in situations where you do need to score runners and you need to hit the ball far.

“[My coaches] could tell I had more speed potential to gain from my ACL injury because I lost a little bit. I did four times a week in the fall and in the winter [at AIM Sports Performance], and I increased a lot of my speed and endurance, as well as my arm strength.”

Hudgens said she couldn’t have asked for a better experience at Huntley.

“I’m really going to miss the atmosphere, the girls and the coaches,” Hudgens said. “I have a lot of great memories. I’m glad that we were able to leave a legacy and I was able to experience what I did because not a lot of people get to experience that.”

Hudgens is eager for the next chapter to begin.

“I’m just really excited to start again with a new school, new environment and new people,” Hudgens said. “I’m excited to meet my new teammates start all over again.”