When Jahna Richardson tore her ACL last fall, she had doubts about whether she would be able to continue her softball career at the collegiate level.
Even with a rather significant knee injury, Richardson signed her letter of intent with Columbia State to play for the Lady Chargers next season.
“It was really exciting. I tore my ACL and wondering how that was going to work out for me,” she said.
Richardson tore her ACL last October, but prior to the injury, had participated in a play day at Columbia State, where she popped up on the coaching staff’s radar, which eventually led to her getting an offer.
“I had been talking to them for a while. I had a play date over in Columbia and they offered me then. I reached back out to them and told them I accepted their offer,” she said.
During her time with the Tigerettes, Richardson was a staple, both as Marshall County’s backstop, and in the lineup.
Known as a power hitter for the Tigerettes, Richardson was a powerful component of the Tigerette battery during her senior season, but the injury to her knee kept her in the dugout during the 2023 campaign.
Even with the transition from being a leader on the field to a leader in the dugout, Richardson said it was an honor to still feel like one of the girls, even though her role on the team had changed this season.
“It’s good because I’m still there for them,” she said.
She got her start playing softball on a chance encounter when she went to a softball practice with her sister and found a love running the bases.
After that, her parents signed her up for a handful of teams and the rest is history.
While she’s played basically non-stop since she was seven, through both school and travel ball.
“My favorite thing is meeting all the people and traveling. I love traveling. Being on a travel team, you’re going everywhere. I’ve gone to Oklahoma and Indiana. It’s so much fun traveling and meeting people,” she said.
While she’s still working on her comeback tour from her knee injury and finishing her rehab, Richardson says her versatility between playing catcher and first base will help land her some playing time, though she’s likely going to take over at first base for the Lady Chargers.
With her freshman year still several months down the road, Richardson says she hopes to pursue a degree in accounting.
“I’m really good with numbers and that’s what my mom does. I just feel like it’s a really good opportunity for me to get close to something I know,” she said.