If you’re a softball fan, you’ve certainly heard of Madison Shipman, the former Tennessee All-American who was the 2014 Honda Sports Award winner for softball and was the No. 2 overall pick in the National Pro Fastpitch Draft.

What you may not know is Madison has a younger sister, Ally, who’s a sweet-hitting catcher who plays for So Cal Choppers-Fausett team and is one of the top players in the 2018 class.

Ally has already committed to her sister’s alma mater… below you can read the fun way that went down!

Friday night at the PGF-Surf City Early Thanksgiving Camp/Clinic, we had a chance to interview the sisters—who were there to support a cousin participating in the showcase—and ask them about what they’re doing right now plus how their relationship was growing up… enjoy!

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Bonus coverage… here’s the article published almost exactly a year ago, on the night before Thanksgiving (11.27.13) detailing Ally’s verbal to Tennessee.

RECRUITING NEWS: TOP 2018 PROSPECT ALLY SHIPMAN COMMITS

It’s rare when an eighth grader commits so when one does we tend to stop and notice.

And the way 2018 catcher Ally Shipman let her future college coaches know she had made up her mind was one for the ages.

Ally’s older sister, Madison, is a senior All-American shortstop at the Univ. of Tennessee and their father, Bill, is Ally’s club coach on the So Cal Choppers-Shipman/Ziese team.

The co-head coaches for the Vols, Ralph and Karen Weekly, were in town for the Early Thanksgiving Fall Showcase and last Sunday night were able to have dinner with the Coach Shipman at a Southern California Outback Steakhouse (legal by NCAA standards because he’s a club coach and because Madison is already on the college team).

Ally and her grandparents were also in the restaurant but couldn’t be at the coaches’ table.

But the outstanding 14-year-old catcher certainly made her presence known.

When the check for the bill came, it was handed to Karen who opened it up to see a handwritten piece of paper inserted inside.

Colored with orange and blue marker, the paper stated: “It’s great to be a Lady Vol… and that’s what I want to be! – Ally”

“I’m pretty sure Coach Karen started crying,” Ally said about the exciting way she let it be know that she’d someday be playing at Tennessee.

“We have such a crazy relationship,” Ally continued, “because we’ve been close since I was six or seven years old.”

The only downside?

“Coach Jim (Ziese, the other coach for the Choppers team) was mad he didn’t get invited to dinner.”

Overall, it was a joyous weekend for the Shipmans and for Vols softball fans everywhere, because in a few years (OK, maybe several years), the SEC school will get the player who many think is the best in the 2018 class.

Ally certainly had her choices of major schools to choose from: she visited ASU, LSU, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, UCLA, Oregon, Texas and obviously Tennessee and could have gone to any of them.

She’s been to the UT campus several times adding, “The first time I went to UT was to see Madison play and my last one was a few weeks ago which was for me to see the school.”

But she’s long had an affinity for Tennessee and not just because her sister is there.

“I love everything about it,” the young catcher explained about her choosing the university.  “I love the coaches, the atmosphere and how they balance being serious and competitive on the field with having fun.”

“Personally, I wanted to get away from California. I like seasons and was looking for a place with that and wanted to find a school with a college town atmosphere.  Plus, it’s a place that doesn’t have traffic like here in Southern California!”

Obviously, Madison and Alley won’t play together although there’s a chance Madison could possibly be coaching there as the older sibling is looking to be a grad assistant for the Vols and would love to continue there as an assistant under the Weeklys.

There’s six years between the sisters and Ally says, “I remember going to a lot of her tournaments and being around her a lot when I was younger.  I have a picture of me in catching gear when I was just starting out.”

“We’re really close even though far apart in age and we talk a lot.  Actually, when Madison’s home we go out and work out together, but when she’s away we’ll talk about things that don’t have to do with softball.  It’s kind of a relief for both of us.”

As for comparisons of the two… well, not the best topic to bring up to the young player.

“I love my sister, but really don’t want to be her,” she laughs.  “I started off as a pitcher and moved to shortstop until I decided I don’t want to be compared to my sister all the time.  I became a catcher when eight or nine and for the last five years have loved catching.”

Catching apparently loves her too.  She’s already over 5-foot-9 and could get taller as Madison is 6-foot-1 and her brother, Billy, is a 6-foot-4 offensive lineman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

College coaches rave about Ally’s presence on the field at such a young age and how she already is proficient in handling a game, calling pitches and working with pitchers.

“That’s one thing I love about being a catcher,” she says enthusiastically, “being able to direct the game and being involved in every pitch.”

What’s interesting to consider is Ally has longer before she gets to Tennessee than she’ll actually play at Tennessee.  Knowing there’s a long time before she steps on the campus, the fact she’s committing early was discussed on every trip.

“We asked every school I visited if the coaches will be there when I get to college,” she remembers.  “Some said, ‘Totally’ and some said ‘I hope we’re still here.’  That worried me, honestly, but at Tennessee they straight up said they’ll be there.”

Any chance the junior high student could get complacent and cruise through high school?  First off, probably not with her father as coach.

“I love playing for him,” Ally laughs, “but he pushes me harder than anybody else.  Sometimes I’ll even get a hit and he’ll say, ‘That could’ve been a double if you’d have hit the ball there.’  It’s comforting, though, knowing he’s there to push me and I definitely won’t settle.  I want to be an All-American and I want to win.  That comes from working hard and not settling for anything but your best.”

The “aha” moment when Ally made up her mind is also trackable to a specific date: the morning of Monday, November 11, 2013.

“I was in the airport coming home from Tennessee and was with my grandparents, actually, as my parents stayed an extra day to be with my sister.  I was looking around and saw a sign that said ‘Knoxville’ and it came to me: ‘This is where I want to be.’”

“I called my dad and he said, ‘OK, we’ll talk about it when we all get back home.’”