Alongside four of her teammates in the Eastside auditorium, Donee Morain put pen to paper as she was officially signed to Georgia Tech.

Morain signed to become part of the Yellow Jackets’ softball program, and she noted how she will not take the moment for granted.

“It felt great, and made me realize that it’s a blessing to have such a grand opportunity with such a great program,” Morain said.

Morain is set to join a new program, but she spent the last four years as one of the top hitters for a highly successful Eastside softball team.

After all, Morain’s final moment as part of the Lady Eagles came when she won the Class AAAA Championship in Columbus.

Morain is a two-time All-Cov News Most Valuable Player and won her second MVP honor during her senior season.

As a senior, Morain batted 0.429 with 45 hits and was named as the Region 8-AAAA Player of the Year.

A year prior as a junior, Morain was named as the Region Defensive Player of the Year.

With her high school career behind her, Morain shared how the Eastside program and her travel ball teams have helped her prepare for this next step.

“Mental toughness and leadership are definitely two traits that I have gained throughout high school and travel ball,” Morain said. “I feel as if it’s very crucial to learn how to be vocal when needed but also lead by example.”

Outside of the skills she learned, the overall family-like feel of the program is what she will remember the most about Eastside.

“Definitely having such a supportive community. The atmosphere is absolutely incredible, and we have such a family dynamic,” Morain said. “I feel as if I'm every parent’s child on that team, and I wouldn’t trade the world for them. I am so grateful for my eastside family, and will carry them in my hearts forever.”

As for Georgia Tech, the prestigious academics and the coaching staff is what led Morain to sign the dotted line.

“Off the bat what attracted me was the academics, culture, and also the favourable distance from home,” Morain said. “My initial thoughts were that I knew that Coach AMo and the rest of the staff would be a great staff to help me grow, have fun, and mature. I always wanted to be on a team that had a family dynamic, and watching those girls play made me feel as if I will fit right in.”

As she now prepares for college level softball in the Atlantic Coastal Conference, Morain noted what she is most excited for/

“Definitely facing the best of the best in the game. I’m very competitive and confident, therefore I love games that are very intense and challenging,” Morain said.