Sometimes the recruiting process in softball can be pretty simple, such as when a college coach sees a prospect at a tournament and begins tracking that player.

Other times, the path to ending up at a player’s dream school can be a little more, well, circuitous.

That’s what happened with dangerous power-hitting infielder KJ Spann from Georgia—ranked No. 5 in the recently released Line Drive Media 2029 HOT 100—who first drew the attention of Georgia Tech softball coaches not through a softball game, but at, would you believe it, a Yellow Jackets football game.

And the high school junior wasn’t even there!

Here’s how it happened…

KJ’s plays club softball for Team North Carolina – Yates/Lingle and her head coach, WC Yates, is also a football coach and the football recruiting coordinator at Mille County High in Colquitt, Georgia.

Coach Yates picks up the story from here.

“I was on a game day football visit to Georgia Tech last fall (2025) with one of our players, linebacker Jamarion Shephard, before he committed later to Troy University.”

“He was visiting GT and I accompanied him. We were also watching a Georgia Tech running back, JP Powell, who I coached, and Jamarion played with, at Miller County High.”

As fate would have it, Coach Yates ran into the Jackets head softball coach, Aileen Morales, and Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Megan Hill on the sidelines pre-game and became raving about KJ and her power production in a game earlier that day.

“KJ had just hit two home runs,” the softball and football coach continues, “and, like any proud coach, I was eager to show them what KJ had done. I showed them a video and that immediately prompted Coach Morales and Coach Hill to start following KJ on social media.”

Soon, the two Yellow Jackets coaches began to frequently attend KJ’s games last fall and this summer—when she batted .484 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs—during her travel seasons.

The 2028 standout attended several college camps over the summer and ended her camping tour with a Georgia Tech session at the LakePoint Sports facility in Cartersville, Ga. in mid-July.

When the live recruiting period opened on September 1, KJ received numerous phone calls including one from Coach Morales of Georgia Tech.

KJ eventually set up college visits through the end of September but made the decision to commit to Georgia Tech in a meeting with Coach Morales during the athlete’s campus visit in Atlanta the weekend of Sept. 11-13.

As KJ would later say:

“It just felt like home and the (GT) coaches made it clear that they wanted me from the beginning.”

Coach Yates, who’s impromptu meeting with the Jackets coaches on the football sidelines started it all for his star infielder, couldn’t be happier with how the recruiting process played out.

“What makes KJ a great fit at Georgia Tech is that she loves that Coach Morales played there so she holds the standard very high for her program.”

“At the plate, KJ has game-changing power and consistently hits line drives and multiple home runs in tournaments.”

“On defense, several college coaches have said she reminds them of Jessi Warren at third base as she is one of the smoothest and most polished elite infielders you’ll find.”

“Georgia Tech is getting one of the best players I’ve witnessed playing this game. KJ has played for me for many years, and it’s been fun to have a front row seat to it all.”

“I can’t wait to see her turn the college world upside down just as she has done in travel from being unranked one year to being ranked 5^th this year.”

“I highly anticipate KJ being that same player who will take the ACC by storm!”

Here’s our “I Committed” Q&A with KJ herself…

*****

NAME KJ Spann
Position(s):  3B/UT
High School (City/ST): Southwest Georgia Academy (Damascus, Ga.)
Club Team: Team North Carolina – Yates/Lingle
Grad Year: 2028
Committed To: Georgia Tech
Date Committed: Sept. 11, 2026

What softball honors, accomplishments or achievements are you most proud of?
Winning back-to-back state championships and being named a two-time Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA) Softball Player of the Year (editor’s note: last year she batted .552 with five home runs).

Do you play other sports?
I play basketball and also participate in track and field events. In basketball, I was named All-State and our team made it to the state championship last year for the first time since 1999.

What’s been one or two of your favorite softball experiences in your career so far?
Hitting home runs in both state championship games and sharing those wins with my teammates.

When did the Jackets coaches offer you a scholarship? 
On my official visit in a meeting in Coach Morales’ office.

When and how did you commit on your campus visit?
We started with breakfast with the coaches that morning, touring the facility, and lunch in the clubhouse.

Afterward, my parents, Coach WC, my little brother and I went to Coach Morales’ office to review the details of my offer.

She asked me what my timeline looked like.  I told her right then that I was ready to be a Jacket!

What was it about the program that made you decide it was the place for you? Did you have an “a ha” moment where it suddenly was obviously the right place for you?
When I arrived on campus, I had that ‘when you know, you know’ feeling.

What did they say they liked about your game enough to offer you?
They said they like the way I swing the bat and my composure during game situations.

Who helped you in your softball decision, any one in your family or your coaches perhaps?
I loved everything about Tech and made the decision myself.  I went into this knowing that my family and coaches would support my decision.

Do you know yet what you will study in college? What you’d like to do for a career after school/softball is over?
Possibly Pre-Health or Kinesiology.  I want to be involved in college sports.

Are you related to or know anyone famous?
Jon Lester, the retired Red Sox/Cubs pitcher.

What top tournaments/events will you and your team be playing in this fall?
This fall we’ll be at the Ray Seymour Invitational in Florida the weekend of Oct. 23-25, at the Show Me The Money tournament in Newberry, Fla. the next weekend (Oct. 31-Nov. 1), the Veterans Tribute in Atlanta Nov. 6-8 and the SEFL Qualifier in Lakeland, Fla. the weekend of Nov. 13-15.

What do you like to do when you’re not hitting bombs at the plate or playing strong defense in the infield?
I love to hunt and fish!

What’s something about you off the field that not many know?
Some of my favorite gatherings involve a crawfish boil.

What do you love most about softball?
Hitting bombs and running the bases.

In one word, describe yourself on the field: Competitor.
And off the field: Funny.