Thompson to continue softball career at Assumption University
Close to home. A school that a sibling is also considering. It has a nursing program.
And, Woodstock Academy senior Lexi Thompson has been offered the chance to play softball there. Assumption University in Worcester just made sense to her.
Thompson signed her National Letter of Intent last week to play for the Greyhounds in 2023-24.
“Ever since I visited, Assumption just checked off all my boxes. I really like that it is a faith-based school, that the softball program is really competitive, the coaching staff is great. It’s in a great area with a great environment. It’s perfect for me,” Thompson said.
The Div. II program also may provide her the chance to get on the field and play pretty quickly.
“I don’t mind being a team player, I think that is something that is really important. If it’s something that I have to do, I don’t mind waiting my turn. Obviously, everyone wants to play which is pretty important but I will take what I can get,” Thompson said.
Coach Jay Gerum has seen a lot of his former players make college choices. This, he feels, is one of the better ones.
“It’s very important not to get caught up with levels and so many different things other than academics. I feel she made a great decision as far as that she will be playing at a pretty high level and going to a very good academic school and she is very good academically. The most important thing is that you want to go to a level where you will be able to play and I think she’s going to get to play a lot,” Gerum said.
Thompson was recruited by Assumption as a pitcher but is one of a couple of pitchers recruited by Assumption so she is expecting competition for playing time.
She accepts that. “Life is a competition,” Thompson said.
Last year for the Centaurs, Thompson struck out 177 hitters in 119 2/3 innings, an average of about 1 ½ strikeouts per inning. Thompson only walked 78 and gave up 123 hits. But she will also bring her bat to Worcester. Thompson hit .360 for Woodstock as a junior with 23 RBIs, two doubles and two home runs.
Gerum is confident that Thompson can hit at the collegiate level. One thing she may need is a few more reps in the field to gain a little more confidence in that regard, which coaches will help with.
A dream come true for Markley
It’s a sport that she has been working at since she was 3-years-old.
Now, she will get a chance to continue plying her gymnastics skills through her collegiate years.
Woodstock senior Taylor Markley signed her National Letter of Intent to the University of Bridgeport last week to compete for its Div. II program.
It has been a labor of love for the senior but hasn’t been without its challenges. She has suffered back and ankle injuries and this past April, a serious elbow injury.
Donned in Bridgeport purple, Markley said the offer to compete in college has made all the effort and pain worth it. “Especially after my elbow, I didn’t really know what was going to happen whether any school would actually want me. I guess after signing and knowing where I am going, it has made it all worth it,” Markley said.
Her junior year she was the ECC individual champion and led the Centaurs to a 12th straight ECC title this past winter. She then guided Woodstock to its 11th straight state championship as it took the Class M title. Markley capped it off by winning the State Open individual title and finished second in the New England championship. Then she was injured. She had surgery in the fall.
And while she will be missed in competitions, Markley is still in the gym.
“She has already taken on a role here, helping out the girls, so I know she will do that through the high school season. It’s going to be really sad not to see her have a senior year. We’re hoping she might be able to go out to Senior Nationals and, hopefully, by the end of her USA career, she will be able to do something,” said coach Tocchio.
She plans to be a business major.
Despite it being a Division II program, there are only four Division II programs in the country thus the competition will be actually much higher.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

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