By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Paige Thexton's numbers are trending in the right direction. A senior three-sport athlete at Great Bend High School, she's started every varsity softball game for the Lady Panthers in her first three years, and she keeps getting better. Wednesday morning, Thexton signed a letter of intent to continue her softball career at Fort Hays State University next year.
"I am so excited to have the opportunity to continue my love for softball," she said. "It has always been my dream to play softball at the collegiate level. I felt FHSU was the best fit for me. They have a great program, amazing coaches, sweet facilities, and I loved the campus. It is close to home, which is nice."
Thexton batted .377 in 21 games for Great Bend as a freshman. She bumped that figure to .418 in 21 games as a sophomore, then moved up to .443 in 22 games last year as a junior. She compiled 31 hits in the 2023 campaign, and her 15 walks put her on-base percentage at .541.
Earlier this fall, Thexton played in all 84 sets for the Lady Panther volleyball team that set a school record with 31 wins in a season. Her 234 digs were fourth on the team, and her 282 serve receives ranked second. She also served up 27 aces, fifth most on the squad. This winter, Thexton returns to the basketball court after averaging 5.2 rebounds and three points a game last season.
Thexton is the daughter of Rachel and Khris Thexton. She plans to study secondary education at Fort Hays State University.