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King’s Fork High School softball standout Toni Jones has signed to play softball at the next level.

The spring season has been postponed for now, but before that even happened, Jones had gotten her college decision out of the way. She decided to sign with Shippensburg University, where she will play softball.

The senior, who had previously been at Nansemond River High School, said her recruiting process went well because she had a plan for what she wanted to do at the next level. She was glad she was able to get through it and choose somewhere she felt was going to be best for her.

“The recruiting process can be long if you have no idea what you are planning to do for the future,” Jones said. “But I had a plan. All I knew was that I wanted to play ball. I sat down and looked at different colleges that offered me and decided to start touring.”

Jones said she went with Shippensburg, in Pennsylvania, because of what it had to offer. The campus wasn’t too big for her, and the coaches were very knowledgeable of the game. It was a relief for her to decide and sign before her senior season got under way.

“It was definitely a relief,” Jones said. “My parents had always told me to be patient and trust the process. It’s a great feeling knowing that you have accomplished such a big achievement you have always wanted since you were 10 years old.”

As a senior, Jones hasn’t be able to officially get her final year of high school softball under way due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She and her team have been preparing for the season since November. With the season on hold, she knows it hurts the softball community along with the rest of spring sports. She was looking forward to continuing to make a name for herself through Suffolk.

“I hope we can continue to have a season this year,” she said. “I want to continue to make my parents, family and friends proud and how much I have grown from last season. To everyone who has helped me on this journey I will always appreciate them for what they have done.”

Last year for Nansemond River, she was an All-District and an honorable mention for All-Region as a catcher. Shippensburg was 10-4 on the season before it was suspended due to the pandemic. They went 25-22 last season.