Knight transfers from one Carolina school to another
Columbia, S.C. – Just two months ago, Abigail Knight hoisted the American Athletic Conference championship trophy high above her head.
It was a moment she had long waited for at the collegiate level, as a title of any kind had evaded her during previous efforts from Boston College. Standing on the field in Wichita, Ks., Knight soaked in the realization: UNC-Charlotte was the final stop on her college softball journey.
The 49ers won the American Athletic Conference crown in their first year as part of the division, thanks largely in part to Graham County’s contribution to the squad.
A 2019 graduate of Robbinsville High, Knight batted .309, swatting one home run, 12 doubles and driving in 26 runs while starting all 57 games on the docket. After injuries and disappointing seasons plagued her previous stint with the ACC-listed Eagles, Knight was on top of the world: she was on a championship team, just four hours from where her talents formed.
But if one thing is for sure in the sports world, it is that nothing is for sure.
The University of South Carolina Gamecocks announced that Knight had joined their ranks around 1 p.m., Monday, in a move that happened both swiftly and quietly.
Knight told the Star that her decision to transfer to her fourth college program was not an easy one, but it does come shortly after UNC-Charlotte head coach Ashley Chastain took the job June 11 as the Gamecocks’ skipper. The Palmetto, Ga., native is a USC graduate and led the 49ers to a 154-96 record while at the helm for the past five years.
Knight originally signed with Virginia Tech before graduating from Robbinsville High, but the offer was rescinded due to a coaching change; she landed soon thereafter at Boston College. COVID had other plans for her first full season of collegiate softball and an offseason injury hampered her efforts to suit up for the Eagles in 2021.
A graduate student, Knight released an emotional statement in conjunction with the Gamecocks’ announcement on her X account.
“I had a dream when I was 11 y/o to play in the SEC, against the best players in the country, on the biggest stages that I could,” Knight’s comments read. “I won’t let anyone put words in my mouth about what Charlotte has meant to me. CLT gave me everything I had dreamed of in college ball, and the friendships I made there mean more to me than anything. After everything got flipped upside down, I was given a second opportunity at my dream, and I knew I couldn’t turn it down twice.”
Her statement went on to address the stigma currently surrounding the NCAA’s transfer portal, which has loosened up its restrictions significantly in recent years and led to multiple opportunities for athletes to change their mind.
Knight put all the critics to rest in her release, however.
“I might not need to explain myself, but I want to provide those who have not been in these situations with a different perspective in the kindest way possible,” said Knight. “Everyone is entitled to their opinions about the portal, but I encourage you to understand that college athletics are so different now than what they used to be.
“Please don’t shame others for trying to do what is best for them; this has been an extremely hard decision, and I’m so thankful for my family, friends and teammates who have helped me and supported me.”
Ironically, the switch will give Knight an opportunity to erase the negative memory of how her time at UNC-Charlotte ended.
The 49ers qualified for the NCAA Super Regionals, but were ultimately ousted by Georgia – a noted SEC rival for South Carolina.