Meigs Co Native Ashley Rogers “Once in a Lifetime Player” For Lady Vols

Knoxville, TN-(WDEF-TV) This is the view Ashley Rogers never imagined she’d see. Pitching in this circle wasn’t even on the former Meigs County Tigers’ radar seven years ago. Now, she’s the Lady Vols ace, collecting SEC Pitcher of the Week awards like it’s easy.

Said pitching coach Megan Rhodes Smith: “Ashley is one of those once in a lifetime, just very special.”

And very untapped… at least at first. Rogers was Meigs County’s star, but her SEC level talent was initially under the radar.

Said Rogers: “If you would have told me my freshman year or my eighth grade year like I said that I would be here, I would’ve been like, ‘No. There’s no way.’ … I was looking at more like mid-majors and DII schools in the state of Tennessee, and then I actually came to a Tennessee camp for one of those coaches and they noticed me.”

Said Smith: “I remember talking to Karen, she was telling me this story. It was before Ashley even step foot on campus, and she said, ‘Nobody knows how good this kid is going to be. She happened to be at camp.’ I got that whole story. ‘She shows up at camp, throws great. We’ve got this hidden gem that’s going to be a great pitcher for us.'”

Head coach Karen Weekly couldn’t have been more right.

Said Smith: “She’s got the physical ability. She’s got the mental ability. She wants to win. She’s a competitor. When you put all of those things together, you get an athlete that doesn’t come along that often.”

To think … it all started in Decatur.

Said Rogers: “The people from Meigs County, the coaches, just people that I played with, people that were supporters still text me to this day like after big games and stuff, they’re the first ones to text me and be like, ‘Hey, awesome game. We’re so proud of you. We love you.’ Just all of that. It just helped me have confidence and just really appreciate the outside support that I have behind me the whole way.”

Tennessee has been a regular contender in the NCAA regionals since 2005. They believe Rogers will help the Lady Vols make it 17 years straight this season…. In Knoxville, I’m Angela Moryan.