HICKORY, N.C. — Catawba Valley Community College sophomore softball player Kameron Bolick will continue her academic and athletic career after this spring at Erskine College.

Bolick signed with the Flying Fleet during a special ceremony with her teammates, coaches and family this past week.

She becomes the second Red Hawk softball player to continue on to the four-year level, joining former CVCC standout pitcher and current UVA-Wise product Jillian Jones.

"I am very grateful," Bolick said. "The best decision I ever made was to graduate early from high school and enroll this past spring to play softball at CVCC. It opened up a lot of doors and opportunities for me."

Bolick played in 31 games for the Red Hawks as a freshman at first base, tallying a .293 batting average, .359 on-base percentage and .478 slugging percentage. She recorded 24 hits, including two doubles and five home runs, and drove in 24 RBIs.

She did all this while graduating from Hickory High School one semester early.

"It was a big change being the youngest player by two or three years," Bolick said. "I had to learn to mature quicker. As the season went on, I improved in every aspect of the game — hitting, fielding, everything."

In her first softball season at Catawba Valley, Bolick was a part of a Red Hawk squad that went 23-11 overall, 19-7 in Region 10 games and was ranked as high as 17th in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II polls.

CVCC head softball coach Mickey Bolick, who is Kameron's father, is thrilled with his daughter's latest softball accomplishment in signing with a four-year program.

"The people she surrounded herself with — (former CVCC softball players Kaylee) Yoder, Jillian (Jones), Jessica (Cannon) — she learned a lot from them through work ethic, staying in the books and everything they were supposed to do," he said. "That was a big thing for her. A lot of our former CVCC softball players helped her be where she is. From a coach and a father, I am just very proud. She had a goal when she came in and that was to continue playing softball. She achieved it. Now she just has to make the most of her next opportunity."

With her future secured, Kameron Bolick is now focused on finishing out her Red Hawk softball career strong this upcoming spring.

"I want to have a better season this year even though last year was good," she said. "We're all very close this year. We're looking forward to the spring."