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By DAVID WOLMAN
Traveler Sports Editor

The moment that Arkansas City High School senior Jacey Juden stepped on to the University of Arkansas campus in early September, she knew that was the college she wanted to attend starting in the fall of 2007.

"I went down there for a visit (mid-September) and loved it," she said. "It was fun to stand and cheer in the second row of the student section against USC."

Juden signed with Arkansas last Wednesday on a full softball scholarship.

Wishing to stay in the South and play in the SEC, she had to decide between three schools in the conference.

The defending Class 5A state softball tournament MVP chose Arkansas over SEC powerhouses Alabama and LSU.

Juden said that Lady Razorbacks head coach Jamie Pinkerton provided a comment to her that put decision in the books: "You can go to Alabama or LSU and be expected to uphold their tradition or you can go to Arkansas and make a name for yourself."

She decided to make a name for herself in the rebuilding process for the two-year coach.

Alabama won the SEC Western Division with a 54-11 mark this past season, while LSU finished second with a record of 55-14. Arkansas wound up in fourth place with a record of 26-35, including a 10-19 SEC mark.

The Lady 'Backs have shown dramatic improvements since Pinkerton's arrival, producing back-to-back 25-plus win seasons. In the two years before his arrival, Arkansas had records of 20-40 (2004) and 13-35 (2003).

Juden was looking heavily at Alabama and moderately at LSU before she and Pinkerton became acquainted with each other in early July at the Fireworks Tournament in Aurora, Colo. while she was playing with the Wichita Mustangs, a team in the 18-and-under American Softball Association of American gold league.

"We talked about what she wanted in a university," Pinkerton said. "According to the (Mustangs) coaching staff, she wanted to play in a warmer climate and the SEC."

Pinkerton liked the initial impression Juden gave.

"Anytime you see a 5-foot-10, 5-foot-11 pitcher, it catches your eye," he said. "She can both pitch and hit well. Anytime that you can do more than pitch, it is great."

Juden has been playing for the Mustangs for the past four years. She held the National champion Orange County Batbusters (Calif.) to two runs in the semifinals of the ASA championship tournament in August. The Batbusters had been producing double-run figures before facing Juden and the Mustangs.

"Anytime you can play in the semifinals with that amount of pressure, it is an easy adjustment to our level," Pinkerton said. "She doesn't get phased on the mound."

Pinkerton realized at that point he had possibly something special in the works.

He then came to visit Juden and her family in mid-August to talk about Arkansas' softball program.

Both parties asked questions, and as the session went along Juden and her family liked the impression Pinkerton made.

"He was real nice guy," Jacey Juden said. "He gets down to business while having fun doing it. He is committed to making a name for Arkansas."

Likewise, Pinkerton liked the impression he got from Juden.

"She's pleasant, easy to talk to," he said. "In my 14 years of coaching, she has been one of the easier kids to talk to. She asks questions and is always up to the challenge."

Juden went to visit Arkansas from Sept. 1-3. One day later, she called Pinkerton back and gave him her verbal commitment.

Pinkerton expects Juden to be an immediate impact player on the team.

"She will be a good fit for our team," he said. "She is one of the top 10-to-15 pitchers in the country, according to other coaches."

Juden met most of the team on her visit to Fayetteville, Ark. and Pinkerton said that she meshed well with the other players.

Complementing Juden on the pitching staff for the next four years will be Kim Jones of Lenexa (Blue Valley NW).

"Jacey has a repertoire of pitches," Pinkerton said. "Kim is more of a low-ball pitcher."

The only adjustments he said Juden has to concentrate at the collegiate level are getting stronger, receiving individual attention by the Lady Backs coaching staff with her game, and knowing that she is going to face nine solid hitters instead of one or two at the prep level.

Juden will look to cap off her senior season with a second consecutive 5A state title for the Bulldogs next spring.

In her first three years as a Bulldog, Juden has compiled a record of 46-2 with 542 strikeouts and a 0.47 ERA.

At Arkansas, Juden plans to major in nursing.