Niles seniors Tegan Bays and Dylan Fillwock have signed national letters of intent to continue their academic and athletic careers at Ancilla College.

Bays, who hit .376 with 38 hits, five doubles, two triples and 15 RBIs, will play softball for Ancilla.

Bays led the Niles softball team in each of those categories, as well as the least amount of strikeouts and putouts.

“I saw her play a couple of years ago and been kind of following her ever since then,” Reese said. “I was really excited when she made the decision to come to Ancilla.”

Niles coach Rick McKeel was not surprised that she got this opportunity.

“She is a special talent,” he said. “She works her tail off. She likes to stay after practice to take extra balls and does all the little things you like to see in a player.”

Bays said she loved the way the campus was set up and he loved the coach.

“My cousin Demi Schrader played at Ancilla for two years,” Bays said. “She told me it was the best experience of her life and she really enjoyed it.

Bays was also looking at Bethel College and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Fillwock was hooked the first time he saw Ancilla.

“I fell in love with the campus,” he said. “It is nice and small. I got to talk to a few teachers and they all seemed friendly and helpful. I met a lot of guys on the team that day and they all seemed inviting and friendly. The new dorms that they are just building are beautiful and it just felt like home.”

Fillwock was also looking at Concordia University and Siena Heights.