Hixson's Dawon Millwood.
Hixson senior pitcher Dawon Millwood will sign a softball scholarship Thursday night with Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Millwood will sign during a ceremony at 6:30 at Hixson High School.
Millwood was sensational as a freshman and sophomore for coach Janet Tate's Lady Wildcats, but was injured for much of her junior year. She has a 36-13 career record with a 1.16 ERA.
"Dawon, along with our six other seniors, have turned the Hixson softball program around,'' Hixson coach Janet Tate said. "Her ERA has gotten lower each and every year, due to her persistence in continuously trying to improve her pitches.
"Dawon has played a very big part in Hixson becoming the regular season District 6-AA champions for 2006 and 2007, regional champions in 2007, and playing in the 2007 sectionals.''
Hixson's overall record the past three years is 88-34, and Millwood has 36 of those wins.
"Some games define when a program is turned around, as it was on a cold rainy night when she pitched and we beat East Ridge her sophomore year,'' Tate said. "Dawon has a phenomenal work ethic that will hold her in good stead at Lenior-Rhyne.
"Lenior-Rhyne is not only getting a wonderful person, but also a tremendous competitor. The university is an excellent fit both academically and athletically for Dawon. Hixson High School is very proud of Dawon Millwood.''
Lenoir-Rhyne is a private liberal arts college in Hickory, N.C. The softball team won the regular-season and tournament championship in the South Atlantic Conference last year and was a participant in the 2007 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional.
Millwood has recorded 442 strikeouts while walking only 66 during her Hixson career.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)