Palmetto’s Kaitlyn Jones signs with D-II Webber International for soccer

Signing day is in the rearview, but the next few weeks and months will be filled with athletes making their commitments official to Division II, Division III, junior college and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic programs. Palmetto girls soccer had one of the first post-signing day pledges Thursday.

Kaitlyn Jones, a senior for the Tigers, signed her letter of intent to Webber International University, a Division II program in Babson Park after visiting the campus Friday.

“I was so stoked on it,” Jones said.

Jones was a bright spot for a Palmetto team that won one game during the winter season and suffered a first-round exit against Punta Gorda Charlotte, 1-0, in the Class 4A-District 11 tournament. The midfielder and forward played four years of varsity for the Tigers, and played club soccer for the West Florida Flames in Brandon.

Jones signed her letter at Palmetto High School on Friday alongside her parents, BJ Jones and Karen Jones, Webber International assistant coach Derrick Smith and Jorge Zavala, the Elite Clubs National League director for the Flames. Jones plans to enroll at Webber in the fall and plans to study sport management while playing for the Warriors.

The tie to Webber comes through Smith, who also helps coach with West Florida. Although the Warriors didn’t offer Jones until the day of her visit, they kept tabs on her through Smith. Jones always had her sights set on going out of state for college until she travelled to Babson. That night, she committed to Webber.

“We brought in a really strong freshman class for this upcoming season,” Jones said. “It was kind of an easy decision to make.”

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 12:24 AM with the headline "Palmetto’s Kaitlyn Jones signs with D-II Webber International for soccer."