LAKE CHARLES—Former McNeese softball standout
Emily Vincent's dream of becoming a professional softball player became reality earlier this week.
Two weeks ago Vincent was in Baton Rouge cheering on her former teammates at the NCAA Regional Tournament before she got a phone call from Texas Charge head coach Crystl Bustos.
The call took longer than expected-nearly a year after playing her last collegiate game. Vincent spent last summer playing in Italy before returning to McNeese last fall to earn her Sports Management Degree and worked as a massage therapist.
In December, Vincent took part in tryouts but never heard back from anyone but continued to work out. She was planning on going back to Italy this summer before she got a phone call last Friday from Bustos wanting her to take part in open tryouts for both the Texas Charge and the Scrap Yard Dawgs in Conroe, Texas.
After an all-day workout on Sunday, Vincent got the call she had been waiting for later that evening offering her a contract. After signing the one-year contract, it was a quick turn around. She headed back to Sulphur to pack her clothes before returning back to New Braunfels, Texas where the Charge is stationed on Tuesday.
"I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity and absorb everything that I can about the game at this level," Vincent said. "
She and her new teammates, many who hail from the SEC, Pac 12, Big 12 and some she played against while her time at McNeese will play their games at a place familiar to Vincent. The Texas Charge will play their home games at the Texas State Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Texas. The season begins June 8 and runs through August.
"This is a great opportunity to be able to play with these players who have so much knowledge about the game and who have played at such a high level," said Vincent.
The four-time All-Southland Conference performer is the second McNeese softball player to sign a pro contract with the first being Kerri (Riggs) Smith who signed a contract in 1997 with the Orlando Wahoos in its inaugural season. Smith and the Wahoos went on to win the championship that year under current Georgia head coach Lu Harris-Champer.
