Throughout the Panhandle, there might not be a school with more of a reputation as a Division I factory than Niceville. Thursday afternoon was further proof of that, as three student-athletes signed to continue their careers at the Division I level.
The group included two members of Niceville’s state runner-up softball team, pitcher Chloe Bailey and catcher Molly Mayfield, along with javelin standout Shelby Plasier, a two-time state champion who is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the class of 2027.
Shelby Plasier, Alabama track and field
Plasier signed with Alabama after a prep career that includes two state championships in the javelin. She is the No. 1-ranked javelin thrower in the country for the class of 2027 and was a member of Niceville’s 2026 girls track and field team that finished as state runner-up.
She said Alabama stood out for its academics, its track program and its coaches, as well as its location.
- “Alabama’s just a great school,” Plasier said. “It’ll be nice, I’ll be close to my family. I love my family.”
Plasier also said she plans to pursue Alabama’s hospitality major and figure out her path from there.
She said she was proud to share the day with Bailey and Mayfield, whom she grew up with and played softball alongside.
“I’m so proud of them,” she said. “I got to know them before I even came to this school. It’s good to know that I have people next to me that I’ve been with my whole life.”
As she heads into the upcoming track season, Plasier said she isn’t chasing a specific mark.
“I’m just going to keep working towards my goals, which is getting more power and getting more skills, and I hope to honor God in what I’m doing,” she said. “I don’t have a distinct number, but I hope to keep winning titles and keep growing.”
Chloe Bailey, South Alabama softball
Bailey led Niceville to back-to-back state runner-up finishes. In 2026, she posted a 1.38 ERA with 245 strikeouts over 172 1/3 innings in the circle, allowing 104 hits and 63 runs. At the plate, she hit .369 with 41 hits, six home runs and 33 RBIs.
She said South Alabama felt right from the start.
“When I went to my first visit to South Alabama, it felt like home,” Bailey said. “The coaches are very nice, loving, and I just can’t wait to play for them, and all the girls there are super nice.”
Bailey called Mayfield, her longtime catcher, her best friend.
- “Molly’s my best friend. Molly’s been my catcher for as long as I can remember, and we have such a good dynamic,” Bailey said. “She knows me so well, and she knows what I throw.”
Her history with Plasier goes back years as well.
“I’ve also known Shelby for a long time, and she was always a great teammate and a great person, and we played volleyball together as well,” Bailey said.
Bailey said the goal for the coming season is clear.
“The goal is to win state this year,” she said. “But it’s not going to be the talent, it’s going to be the team and the connection.”
Molly Mayfield, Georgetown softball
Mayfield has been part of both of Niceville’s state runner-up runs. In 2026, she recorded 158 putouts with a .988 fielding percentage and added 15 hits, nine RBIs and a home run offensively.
She said Georgetown offered the right fit both on and off the field.
“I truly believe that Georgetown is the best place for both my academic and athletic career and for me to keep growing as a person and an athlete,” Mayfield said.
Like her fellow signees, Mayfield said sharing the day with Bailey and Plasier meant a lot.
- “I’m so happy that I got to sign with them since we had that history and we’ve known each other for so long,” she said. “I just can’t wait to see where these next four years take them.”
Before she heads to Georgetown, Mayfield and a senior-heavy Niceville team will take one more shot at a state title.
“To win. To compete,” Mayfield said. “We’re going back out there this final season, most of us are seniors, and the goal for us is to win the state championship.”
