Another Tiger standout accepts scholarship offer to play college softball at MidAmerica Nazarene University

She was recruited by MidAmerica Nazarene University, located in Olathe, Kansas, just about 20 miles southwest of downtown Kansas City. The Pioneers play ball in NAIA Division I. The school has about 2,000 students and offers 35 undergraduate programs.

Van Allen plans to major in biology and pre-med, and she has designs on becoming a pediatric physician. Megan is the daughter of Melody and Jeffery Van Allen of Lemoore. She has an older brother Ian and a younger sister Amber.

It was Pioneer head coach Rob Wade who noticed Van Allen at a softball camp, and after watching her play in a California tournament, invited her to the campus where she viewed the facilities and took batting practice with the team. It was at that point that Wade offered her a spot on her squad.

“I visited the college last year around summertime,” said Van Allen. After a tour of the campus, she displayed her talents at the plate. "That’s when he offered.”

She more or less fell for the Kansas school. “I loved it,” she said. I thought it was very pretty. I love the environment, the teachers, the people I met, and the coaching staff.”

For the past three years, Van Allen has played catcher for Coach Dionne Ewing and the Tigers. She started most of those games. She began playing as a young girl competing in T-Ball and recreational softball. “I like how it (softball) gives me an opportunity to meet new people.”

Van Allen is looking forward to this year’s softball season, which begins with a home game against Tulare Union on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. The team just had a scrimmage, and Van Allen was pleased with what she saw. “I think we’ll have a good year,” she said. “We have some new players on the team.”