No. 6 Hot 100 prospect pitcher Gabby Sprang took her official visit to Tennessee. She gives FloSoftball the campus click of the week. 



My Big Orange weekend started off meeting with co-head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly at the softball clubhouse Friday morning.

After introductions between the commits, families, and players we were sized for our amazing Nike apparel. What could be better? All four of us 2017 recruits trying on our uniforms for the first time together. It really started to hit us, our dream of playing Division 1 softball at a top program in the nation was becoming a reality.

We are all from different parts of the country; myself from Minnesota, Ashley Morgan from Georgia, (a teammate of mine on our club team the Georgia Impact) Amanda Ayala from New Jersey, and Brooke Langston from Florida.


Left to right: Ashley Morgan, Brooke Langston, Amanda Ayala, Gabby Sprang

With our families and coaching staff we all proceeded to join the team for lunch at Smokeys Grill, an athlete dining hall with the most nutritious foods balanced for athletes by nutritionists.

I met the Athletic Director of Tennessee Dave Hart. We ate lunch amongst the other athletes and recruits from other sports. What a great place to fuel up and meet before practice.

We stopped into practice and watched the pitchers bullpen and players work. We all cannot wait to be in their shoes. Tennessee softball has one of the top facilities in the country.


After changing clothes and packing for our overnights with our hosts, we once again were on our way to a nice steakhouse with the coaches. We ate at Ye Olde Steakhouse in Knoxville. It had a lot of character and delicious food, especially the chocolate cake we all got to go!!

One thing I learned is we will not starve at Tennessee. Our hosts had us for the night showing us what it is like being a student-athlete at the University of Tennessee. We stopped by the baseball field to catch the end of the game, went rollerblading with the team, and ended the night hanging out in the dorms and talking with our future teammates.

Saturday morning was game day on Rocky Top and everyone was fired up to beat Bama. We all met pre-game at Ralph and Karen's beautiful house on the Tennessee river for brunch. Their home is a place the team is welcome to come to boat, relax on the dock, and watch movies in their home theater. A home away from home for sure.

Following our brunch we made our way back to campus for the tradition of Tennessee football game day. We lined the streets with over 102,300 fans for the "Vol Walk." This is a tradition where football players are escorted by the police down the streets leading to Neyland Stadium. The streets and all around campus are lined with screaming fans shaking the players hands and wishing them luck.


(Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

We then made our way down to the field to get an eye level look at the team as they warmed up. As we got to our seats a few rows up in the end zone, we joined the loud fans in singing "Rocky Top" led by the Pride of the Southland Band.


(Randy Sartin/USA TODAY Sports)

Though the outcome of the game wasn't what we wanted, (they lost big to Alabama) Saturday's in Tennessee are definitely exciting and intense. After the game the coaches took us out to a nice seafood restaurant called Chesapeakes just off campus, and from there our official visit concluded.

I verbally committed in ninth grade to play softball for the University of Tennessee. I am blessed to have the opportunity to play for their amazing coaches Ralph, Karen, Marty, and Madison. So excited to sign in November, and get there in the upcoming fall.

GO VOLS!

Gabby Sprang