North Duplin senior Reece Outlaw, second from right, signs a national letter of intent to play softball for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Watching, from left, are her brother, Gage, and mom, Candace. At right is her father, Bill. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — Faith is everything.It’s the groundwork that teaches humility, grace, perseverance, resilience — and most importantly — courage.
Reece Outlaw understands the power that comes from those characteristics. She watched her father, Bill, a former collegiate athlete who defeated cancer despite overwhelming, unfavorable odds.
“It was inspirational … learned not to take things for granted,” Outlaw said. “Everything [in life] was healthy and then all of sudden, he’s going down and going down fast. You just remain consistent in Jesus and rely on him when things are not good.”
A pink cancer ribbon and Jeremiah 29:11 grace her white, scarred batting helmet. The Bible verse states, “for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Her relationship and faith in God has resulted in a long-awaited, much-deserved reward.
Outlaw took a step toward that promising future on national signing day. The North Duplin senior inked a national letter of intent to play softball for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
According to ND athletics director Ricky Edwards, Outlaw is just the fourth Rebel athlete — and first female — to continue their collegiate career at an Atlantic Coast Conference school.
“When you’re little, you don’t ever see yourself being in the [same] place where you see other older girls being in [now],” Outlaw said. “I wasn’t planning on going to Carolina, but God led me there and it’s his plan. No matter what, I trust him all the way.
“It’s definitely hard to believe. I’m really excited to see where it takes me.”
Born in an athletic and competitive family fueled Outlaw’s passion. She grew up battling against her older brother, Gage, and his friends. The three-time all-Carolina 1A Conference performer began her travel ball career as an eighth-grader.
Her first coach, Jeff McPhail, had no doubts the 13-year-old Outlaw would one day play on the collegiate stage. She possessed the skills, displayed strong team leadership and respected the game.
“I knew expectations were going to be big for her and I knew she was going to be something special,” said McPhail, who has built a perennial softball powerhouse at Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville.
“She has all the softball skills that you need and I just knew she was going to get better and better. Reece comes from a great family and that’s the foundation. She’s with the Lord who is on her side and she’s on his side, too.”
An all-district and all-state selection last spring, Outlaw helped lead North Duplin to a runner-up finish in the NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A state championship series. It was the Rebels’ third appearance in program history and first since 2015.
Along the way, Outlaw established four single-season records — runs scored (60), hits (61), RBI (50) and home runs (14). She is also the program’s all-time career leader in those some four categories – 122 runs scored, 109 hits, 63 RBI and 20 home runs. The RBI total includes her freshman and junior campaigns. Numbers were not available for her sophomore year.
North Duplin “three-peated” as the Carolina 1A champ.
The only thing missing from her stellar prep resume is a state crown.
“I think we will be really good [next spring],” Outlaw said. “We’re a close group of girls, we hang out all the time and do things outside of sports. We’re a family and I think we have each other’s back. [Plus] seeing everyone from the community come out and cheer for you, there’s nothing like it.”
Outlaw will join a program that logged a 26-28 worksheet last season.
UNC has claimed just four ACC regular-season titles [the last in 2012] and one tournament crown [2012]. The Tar Heels’ last NCAA tournament appearance occurred in 2019.
A vocal member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at North Duplin, she plans to share her faith with teammates at UNC. She’ll have to adjust to the rigors of college life, particularly in the classroom.
“Definitely going to have to study better, manage different times [of the day] better … use my time wisely,” said Outlaw, who plans to study in either sports medicine or the nursing field. “I’m excited, want to see what I can do against that type of play and I want to see how I compare to girls that have been there more years than me.
“I’m ready to one-up somebody or they one-up me and I get humbled.”
And let faith guide her through the journey.
