Get to Know Abilene Christian University Softball Commit, Keyauna Thompson

Name: Keyauna Thompson

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

High School: Brashear High School

Sports: Softball and Track and Field

Track Events: Sprints

Softball Position: Outfield

Commitment: Abilene Christian University (ACU) Softball. ACU is a private, Christian university in Abilene, Texas and is home to over 6,700 students. The Wildcats are members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in NCAA Division I.

Why She Chose ACU: “The coaches are very genuine and are extremely knowledgeable. Two of the coaches were former slap hitters like me. There is a lot that I can learn from Coach (Jo) Koons and her staff to elevate my game as a player and help me to grow as a person. The campus was also absolutely beautiful. I really liked the surrounding area and the campus size. All of the ACU players that I met had awesome energy and I felt right at home there. I plan to major in civil engineering and ACU has a great program and many internship opportunities.”

Athletic Accolades: “I’ve won two varsity letters in track and field, will be playing varsity flag football in the spring, was invited to play in the Minority Softball Prospects Futures All-American Game for the second year in a row, and my 4x100m team placed first in districts and qualified for states this past year.”

What HomePL8 Means to Her: “The reality of softball is that it’s very much a “country club sport”. There are so many girls who are super athletic that would be beasts in the sport, but can’t afford the training, traveling to tournaments, hotel stays, equipment, etc. It gets expensive fast. I do all of my hitting, fielding, speed and agility training with my dad; without instructors. This is also only my third year of fastpitch, so I know I have to work twice as hard and twice as often to reach the heights I plan to achieve. HomePL8 training is really cool. They offer affordable cage rentals to athletes that want to put in work on their own.”

Her Travel Softball Journey: “This past summer, I played for Lady Dukes Perkins/Lamar 16U. Prior to that I played for Intensity National and Carolina Elite SC National. This fall, I’m guesting with various different teams.”

Her Support System: “Aliyah Andrews and Lair Beautae are two softball players I look up to. Aliyah Andrews is a speedy slapper and outfielder. I love how fearlessly she plays the game. Lair was a standout at Tennessee and Houston, and is a current senior at Ole Miss. She is so down to earth and unapologetically true to herself. She plays with so much heart and has been a great mentor and friend. Lair has given me advice at every turn and helped me through tough situations. Seeing female athletes that look like me ball out on TV has been incredibly inspiring. My dad is also one of my biggest mentors. He was a Division 1 athlete in football, but had DI offers in four different sports in high school. With his expertise and passion for sports, he has empowered me to reach new heights, taught me so many life lessons and has guided me through every aspect of my training.”

Favorite Athletic Memories: “Some of my favorite memories from my athletic career are the bonding moments with past teammates. Making TikToks, dancing in the dugout to get hyped, hanging out in the same hotels, and sitting in a circle between games to share stories were definitely fun times.”

Her Late Transition to Playing Softball: “I started playing softball later than most and have been at it for three years now. In the beginning, many people doubted that I could go Division I because of my late start. I wasn’t one of the best initially, so I had to put in a lot of practice and extra work on the field with my dad to improve. As I kept excelling in my sport, I moved up to national teams and began competing against the best. 

Academic and Business Excellence: “Academically, I’m a member of the National Honor Society and maintain a 4.4 grade-point average. I’m also an entrepreneur with a clothing line for slap hitters and have my own YouTube channel, ‘KeyPlays’, which has 34,000 subscribers, and serve as an Extra Innings Ambassador and a Student Athletic Advisory Board (S.A.A.B.) member.

Family Ties to College Athletics: Keyauna will soon become a second-generation Division I athlete. Her father, Chuck Thompson, was a Division I football player for the University of Akron Zips.