Ploen recruits Boston College

Persistence paid off for Naperville Central shortstop Lizzy Ploen.

The senior's winding recruiting road led to a happy ending when she verbally committed to Boston College, making her Division I dream come true after it was in limbo a couple times.

"It just kind of worked out," Ploen said.

A broken left ankle suffered in the middle of her sophomore season caused Ploen to miss the rest of her high school games that year and her entire summer of softball.

So Ploen took it upon herself to start her recruiting process. She sent a bunch of letters, videos and e-mails to various schools.

Ploen wound up attending camps at Boston College, Iowa and Ohio State. Additionally, she visited Boston University and Georgia Tech.

"I dedicated this whole summer to getting as much exposure as I could because I knew I missed out on a whole year," she said.

Boston College became interested. However, Ploen thought something was strange when her e-mails were not being returned by assistant coach Cori VanDusen.

Three months later, she received an e-mail from VanDusen, who informed Ploen she no longer was with Boston College and told her to call Eagles head coach Jen Finley.

Finley made Ploen an offer that does not include any athletic scholarship money as a freshman but will after that.

"She said that my money for the next three years would be dependent on how hard I work making my spot on the team," Ploen said. "But sophomore year, if I'm still around, there would be definitely be some money whether I'm starting or not, and then obviously if I'm there junior and senior year I'd be taken care of."

Ploen plans to sign with Boston College during an official visit in November.