Photo courtesy of UAB Athletics.
Spain Park alumna Destini England is reaping the benefits of a late offer from UAB, establishing herself as one of the Blazers’ top players.
Destini England spent nearly all her life roaming the outfield grass until her 11th grade year.
That’s when a need arose for the Spain Park High School softball team. At a team camp in the offseason, coach CJ Hawkins looked around and wondered aloud about the Jags’ vacant catching position.
“I’ll do it,” England said.
Being the natural talent she is, England excelled in the role.
“What she brought was speed and versatility,” Hawkins said. “She showed a willingness to take over at catcher, which is not an easy thing.”
England saved the best for last when it came to her high school career. Her dynamic abilities were on full display as she helped lead Spain Park to a runner-up finish at the 2016 state tournament her senior season.
“Destini’s just an incredible athlete,” Hawkins said. “She had a remarkable junior season and we were really excited about her senior year.”
When it was time for England to take the next step in her career, she originally committed to West Florida. UAB had always been a dream destination for England, but the Blazers had yet to extend an offer as of late January. But with National Signing Day approaching, UAB decided to offer England. It didn’t take her long to accept.
“Now I’m here and it’s been fun,” England said following UAB’s game against Alabama on Feb. 27.
It’s safe to say UAB hasn’t regretted the decision, either. England played in all 54 games last season as a freshman and started 50 of them, as she moved back to her familiar place in the outfield. She got a chance early in the season and never relinquished her role.“A teammate got sick and I was told, ‘You’re going to play now,’” England recalled. “I got an opportunity and made it big.”
England finished the season with a .279 batting average (50-for-174) with a double, seven triples and 13 RBIs. She wasn’t caught on any of her nine stolen base attempts.
England has even improved her game as a sophomore, cementing her status as one of the Blazers’ top players. She hits leadoff and reaches base nearly half the time she steps to the plate.
“She is the spark of a game,” said first-year UAB head coach Amanda Ellis. “Destini has come into her own.”
England was named Conference USA Player of the Week for her performance in the UTEP series March 17-18. Over three games, England racked up nine hits and drove in eight runs. Through the Alabama game on March 20, England had posted multiple hits seven consecutive games.
As of April 8, England was hitting for a .416 average, with a .453 on-base percentage. She was third on the team with 17 RBIs, an impressive number for a leadoff hitter..
England said she has worked on improving her bunting in an effort to better utilize her speed. Ellis has also seen an uptick in England’s defense in center field.
“She’s gotten to balls this year that she wasn’t getting to last year or maybe she didn’t trust herself to get to,” Ellis said. “Her defense has definitely changed and been for the better.”
With her college career not even half over, England is sure to keep improving. That likely won’t please opponents.
