Before she ever played a game for Mt. Pleasant High (Mich.), Hannah Carson had already committed to Michigan. This week, Carson is trying to help her club team, Finesse Fastpitch-Dreher (Mich.), win an 18U title at the TC/USA Nationals in Reno, Nev., and then Finesse Fastpitch heads to Chino Hills, Calif., to compete in the ASA/USA Softball JO Cup from July 24-31.

Player: HANNAH CARSON
Grad Year: 2018
Position: Catcher
High School: Mt. Pleasant High (Mich.)
High School Stats: .570 batting average, 12 doubles, 17 triples, seven home runs
GPA: 3.89
Club team: Finesse Fastpitch-Dreher (Mich.)
College: Michigan

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FloSoftball: You had 17 triples, that's amazing … to what do you attribute that, is it more batting or speed?
Hannah Carson: I've worked on my speed a lot, so I'd say I'm pretty fast. I run in the 2-7 to 2.8 range home-to-first. I try to hit the gaps and where the players aren't! It's about getting solid contact and then using my speed.

FS: What exactly have you done to work on speed?
HC: I run bleachers, up and down is one repetition, and I'll do five in a row for one set. It makes me more explosive and I'm pushing up, so it helps me have quick feet in running. I also run suicides in a gym too. I do it where you run to the free-throw line and back, half court and back and all the way back. I also did a bunch of box jumps this winter too.

FS: Let's talk about defense. What are your strengths?
HC: My quickness throwing down to second, throwing down to second and my transfer. This winter, I was in the gym four of the seven days of the week working on my strength and conditioning. Two days I did speed work and cardio and the other two days (I worked) on my strength. That helped my legs get stronger in hitting and the arm strength to throw to second.

FS: You play everywhere but pitcher. What will you play at Michigan? Do you know?
HC: I was recruited as a catcher. I mostly throw from my knees, and (I) worked on that over the winter. In high school, I catch too, but if (I'm) not catching, I play outfield or middle infield.

FS: Is there a chance you could play other positions either in club, high school or college with your speed?
HC: I drive two hours one way every Thursday to work on infield and before that I hit my coach, Coach Donny Dreher, who is my hitting coach too. Once a week, I drive three hours one way to work with my catching coach, Tiffany Deering, who was a catcher at Michgan too.

FS: How did Michigan find you, when did they offer and when did you commit?
HC: They found me at the beginning of eighth grade, mostly from Coach Donny and Coach Tiffany and they told the coaches about me. The Michigan coaches came to watch me in the fall of my eighth grade year and that's when they really began to watch me. I was so young they didn't offer then. They wanted to see if I'd keep growing. I played 18U in the fall of my eighth grade year and they saw me then. I committed December 10, 2014.

FS: How did you commit to the Wolverines?
HC: They offered a week before I committed and I needed some time to (talk to) my parents, and a week later I called Coach Hutch and told her I wanted to be a Wolverine.

FS: Off the field, where do we find Hannah Carson when you're not playing, practing or working out?
HC: I like to go camping with my family. I like to spend time with them because when I'm playing softball I travel a lot and don't get to see them. I have three sisters, Whitney (20), Hailey (17) and Nyah (8), and we like to go to movies or just talk and hang out.

FS: What's been the most embarrassing softball moment for you?
HC: When I was in 12U I slid into first base feet first. I don't know why I did it. I've seen baseball players dive into first, but I slid and thought immediately, "What did I just do? What just happened?" Everyone went, "What?"

FS: What's a hidden talent you have?
HC: I can cook, I'm a pretty good cook. I would always cook with my mom when I was younger. In second grade, I had to do a report on hobbies and I wrote I'm good at chopping vegetables. The teacher was like, "You've used a knife?" But I was good with all that. I like cooking desserts mostly, especially cakes. I can also make protein bars out of protein powder, oatmeal and honey.

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