MARBLEHEAD — There wasn’t much Marblehead pitcher Charlotte Plakans didn’t cross off her “to-do” list last spring as a junior. Plakans went 15-2 in the circle, batted .492 at the plate, helped lead her team to a Northeastern Conference championship and was named NEC co-MVP- all while the Magicians made another trip to the Division 2 North state tournament.
As the old saying goes, “hard work pays off” and the Bentley University softball team certainly noticed Plakans’ dedication on the diamond.
Last week, Plakans committed to committed to Bentley where she’ll continue her softball career at the Division II level. Plakans toured Bentley’s campus in March and came away impressed with the school’s academic opportunities and the softball team’s winning culture.
“They offer great academics and great career opportunities after you graduate,” Plakans, a right-hander, said. “The campus is beautiful. The softball coach (Terry Prouty) is committed to having a winning softball program and helping the girls be the best they can be. She definitely showed the whole team’s committed to winning and getting better every day.”
Plakans hasn’t nailed down her area of study yet but she’s interested in a business-related major.
“My dad’s into the business world so I definitely knew through him that’s what I wanted to do,” Plakans said. “I was looking at business schools in New England when I was searching. Bentley’s proximity to Boston and the internship opportunities they offer are great. I thought it was cool they had those kind of opportunities at the school.”
The Falcons, which compete in the Northeast-10 Conference, went 15-27 last spring. When Plakans joins the team for the 2020 spring season, she’ll reconnect with former Marblehead teammate Montana Joyce, who’s currently a sophomore infielder on Bentley’s roster.
With her future plans official and no longer a question mark, Plakans said she feels relieved to have finished the college decision process. Now she can turn the page on picking a school and make the most of her senior year at Marblehead and her senior seasons on the Magicians field hockey and softball teams.
“It was really stressful in the summer because I had to complete all my college applications and essays in a quick time,” Plakans said. “I wanted to see if I could get into the schools before I committed. A lot of my classmates are stressing with applying to colleges now so it’s nice to know that I’m done with it.”
Plakans was voted a softball co-captain, along with shortstop Mercedez Pelletier, for the 2019 spring season. But for now, Plakans, a defender, is focused on bringing leadership to a young Marblehead field hockey team eager to compete for a state tournament bid. The Magicians are 5-3.
“(The season’s) going well,” Plakans said. “We’re a young team. There were a lot of questions about how the season was going to go. We’re all trying to come together and figure out what we need to be successful. The majority of the team hasn’t had substantial varsity time so I think we’re doing pretty well.”
