It seemed surreal as Caroline Fox filled signed on the dotted line.
At the end of the school year, she will graduate from Wayne Christian and officially end her high school athletic career.
But it is only just beginning for the senior, who was second in the state in RBIs as a junior.
Fox signed a national letter of intent to play softball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She said becoming a Tar Heel had been her dream choice all along.
“I think it was definitely one of the best days of my life to get to sign there,” Fox said. “It’s really, really exciting.”
Fox got on UNC’s radar after she started playing softball for Team NC a few months ago. While playing for Team NC, her coach, Nate Eaton, told her she looked like a UNC softball player.
Eaton and Fox then started reaching out to UNC, and after watching her play and attending a camp, Fox was offered a spot on the UNC softball team.
“I really love the team, and the campus is beautiful,” Fox said. “Going to visit was really awesome.”
Last season, Fox helped lead Wayne Christian to a 19-2 record and an appearance in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 2A state championship series.
She was second in the state in RBIs (47) and sixth in runs (36). Fox also had a .575 batting average, 11 doubles, four triples, and four home runs.
Fox’s coach and father, Tommy Fox, said he is incredibly proud to see his daughter become a Tar Heel.
“She’s versatile, and she can play a lot of positions. Mostly in the middle infield, but she can play in the outfield,” Tommy Fox said. “Hitting-wise, she’s got power, she’s not going to strike out, and she’s going to use her speed on the bases to cause problems for the defense.”
One of seven siblings, Fox, comes from an athletic family. Her older sister Anna Grace Fox plays softball at the University of Tennessee, while her younger sister Ella Fox also plays softball for Wayne Christian.
“Personally, I love playing with my family members. I got to play with my older sister,” Fox said. “Playing with my family members is probably one of the best parts.”
Fox, who plans to major in human development and family studies, wants to work in education after graduating from UNC.
However, before she heads off to college, Fox hopes to end her high school career by winning a state championship.
