Brainerd’s Kelli Smith has signed to continue her track and field career with the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Smith finished second at this year’s state track meet in the long jump, third in the triple jump and fourth in the pentathlon. She also qualified in the high jump and placed in each of those events as a junior as well.
Smith was the TSSAA Class A/AA East Region top female athlete as a sophomore and was the top field-event athlete at this year’s Rotary Invitational. She graduated with a 3.6 grade point average.
A two-time Times Free Press first-team track all-star, chose UAB over East Tennessee State and other schools offering her scholarships.
“She was real impressed with the program,” Brainerd coach Eddie Lambert said. “From day one, after her first visit there, she said she felt like UAB was the place for her.
“They want her to compete in all the jumping events — the high jump, long jump and triple jump. She’s a good enough athlete to compete in pretty much anything they need her to.”
Smith plans to major in biology or forensic science.
Ramsey makes history
Chattooga High School three-sport star Rashad Ramsey signed a professional baseball contract with the Oakland Athletics Tuesday, becoming the first athlete in school history to do so.
Ramsey, who batted .467 with 37 runs scored, 31 RBIs and 22 stolen bases this past season, was selected in the 20th round by the A’s in the recent MLB amateur draft.
Ramsey had signed scholarship papers to play football at West Georgia State University after the quarterback led the Indians to a nine-win season. He was first team All-North Georgia in basketball.
The 6-foot, 175-pound outfielder will head this weekend to Arizona and begin Rookie League play Monday.
“It means so much for me to be the first one from Chattooga to play pro ball,” said Ramsey, who received a $25,000 signing bonus from the A’s. “I was surprised when I was picked, but it was a good surprise. I’ve never really played baseball full time because football has always been my sport. I can’t wait to get started. It’s going to be a great experience.”
Soccer games
The Chattanooga Football Club and Volkswagen are hosting the Tennessee-Georgia soccer all-star games Saturday at Finley Stadium, beginning with the girls’ contest at 1:30 p.m. The boys’ game will start at about 3:30, and the Chattanooga FC will host Atlanta FC at 7.
One ticket for $5 will be good for all three games.
A softball doubleheader is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Finley Stadium with Soddy-Daisy’s Clifford Kirk, fresh off his ninth state championship, coaching the recent southeastern Tennessee graduates against a Georgia team coached by Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe’s Tony Ellis.