GIRLS' PREP SOCCER: Elizabethtown's Pinkham signs with Murray State (02/02)

Shortly after finalizing her soccer future Wednesday afternoon, Elizabethtown High School senior Halle Pinkham’s emotions were running the gamut of emotions.

NATHANIEL BRYAN/The News-Enterprise

Elizabethtown High School senior defender Halle Pinkham signed a national letter of intent to play soccer at Murray State University on Wednesday afternoon in the EHS commons area. Seated, from left, are brother Matthew, father Bill, Pinkham, mother Becky and sister Sydney. Standing are EHS principal Steve Smallwood, EHS girls’ soccer coach Jerry Crabtree, sister Marisa Jae and EHS athletic director Doug Barnes.

Buy this photo

“I’m excited and anxious and it’s kind of bittersweet, but it’s nice to have it out of the way,” the standout defender said after signing her national letter of intent to play on the NCAA Division-I level for the Murray State Racers. “Of course, I’m scared to move on in life.”

A four-year starter and a multi-time honoree on the district, area and state levels, Pinkham was rarely scared in her playing days for the powerful Lady Panthers.

Jerry Crabtree, who enters his fourth season as Elizabethtown’s coach this summer, said Pinkham had shown him something special before even playing a game for him.

“We drove in on a day near the end of the dead period (in July 2009) and John (his son and assistant) and I were just moving in and the girls were out there training,” Crabtree recalled. “She’s out there talking up a storm and John and I get back to the car and we’re like, ‘Oh my god, we’ve got a leader.’ And she was for four years, at least the three we were here with her.”

It was like that the previous two seasons as well according to former coach Rob Zoeller. Now the coach at boys’ powerhouse Louisville Ballard, Zoeller coached Pinkham when she played for him on the junior varsity level as an eighth grader and again the following year for varsity.

“Halle is fantastic,” Zoeller said. “I knew Day One that Halle would be playing in college somewhere. As a freshman, she came in and competed right away and she wasn’t afraid to get on an older kid.

“Halle has never been afraid of leadership,” he added. “She would talk and she was organized. She was fun to coach. … I’m glad it’s worked out for her to find a place that has her major where she can still play soccer.”

Elizabethtown was 62-25-7 in Pinkham’s four seasons, going 31-2-1 against 5th Region foes and 26-3 against 10th District teams. She helped lead the Lady Panthers to three district tournament titles (2008, ’09, and ’11) and back-to-back state tournament appearances in 2008-09.

A second-team All-State selection her final two seasons, Pinkham was the Area Defensive Player of the Year along with Central Hardin junior goalkeeper Savannah Haberman as a senior and the runner-up for the award as a junior.

Pinkham also considered taking an offer to nearby NAIA powerhouse Lindsey Wilson College, but ultimately the chance to participate in Murray State’s respected school of broadcasting as well as the opportunity to help rebuild the Racers’ defense helped Pinkham pick Murray State.

“It was mainly for my major because I want to go into broadcasting, but they have a great soccer team,” said Pinkham, who visited Murray State three times, including last week. “That was the final decision (broadcasting), I think. There are three schools in the state accredited in it and they’re one of them. It’s a good place to be.”

Murray State is coming off a 7-9-3 season and graduates three starters in defender Maja Nordahl, midfielder Sophie Hargreaves and defender/midfielder Ashley Green.

“They’ve told me they want to get me in the back line early because they see me as a strong player and a strong leader to build up,” said Pinkham, who had verbally committed to Murray State before her senior season but doesn’t know any of the Racers’ signees. “I’m kind of going down there as the Lone Ranger, but I’m excited because it’s a new start.”

Pinkham is no stranger to playing soccer at a high level, playing club for two of Louisville’s top clubs in Javanon and Mockingbird Valley.

While she said there’s always room for improvement, she said she’s ready for the next stage of her soccer career.

“I think I’m going to go into college with a great work ethic and a great mind,” Pinkham said. “I’m going to go in ready and prepared, but I need to go in with my guard up because I know it’s going to be a lot harder but being an E’town athlete, they’ve prepared us to be the best athletes we can be. I think that’s the best preparation I can have.”

Nathaniel Bryan can be reached at (270) 505-1758 or at nbryan@thenewsenterprise.com