Port Coquitlam's Courtney Bridge is packing her mitt to Minnesota.
Bridge, 17, signed a letter of intent to attend on scholarship the University of Minnesota, Crookston and play shortstop for the Golden Eagles women's softball squad, it was announced Monday.
"It's pretty nerve-wracking, to be honest, but it's exciting, too," said the five-foot-eight Bridge, who toiled for the PoCo Ravens club from age 5 through 16 before jumping last year to the Richmond Islanders 'A' '93 squad. "I'm sure I'll set some [personal] goals as the season approaches but first I'll just be adjusting to life away from home."
A Burnaby Mountain secondary school student, Bridge chose Minnesota over other offers from post-secondary schools in New Mexico, Virgina and Georgia.
"It was a great fit," said Bridge, who went for a fly-down recruiting visit a few weeks ago. "It's a really, nice small campus so it should be easy for me to find my way around."
A four-year team captain who has earned 12 MVP tournament awards, Bridge is an hounours student who plans to major in environmental sciences.
Golden Eagles head coach Mitch Bakken has high hopes for Bridge, who he's expecting to start immediately at shortstop in place of a graduating senior.
"Courtney is a very versatile player," Bakken said. "She can swing from the right side and slap from the left side of the plate which is going to bring an added dimension to our lineup. She is a tough competitor and I think she will do a great job as a freshman filling that role."
The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).
