Tom Dodge
Eunice High catcher McKenzie Guillory will see her softball career continue as the senior signed a national letter of intent Thursday to play softball at Xavier University of New Orleans.
The daughter of Damond Bushnell and Lori Bellard-Bushnell, Guillory is thrilled to sign with a college program.
“The coach came up to me one tournament and talked to me about Xavier,” Guillory said. “When I visited the campus, that sealed the deal.”
She plans to major in nursing.
Her junior season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic after just nine games as the Lady Cats finished 4-5 overall without playing any district games.
“I was sad because we had just got started and I had been looking forward to the season,” she said. “I felt like we could have had a good season.”
Guillory is hopeful that she can play with her Lady Bobcat teammates for a complete season in the spring.
“I want to help the team win this season,” she said. “We are going to the weight room every day and we are working hard to be good this year.”
As a sophomore, Eunice finished 11-15 overall and Guillory earned Second Team All-District honors.
She was also named to the All-St. Landry Parish team and was selected as the Lady Cat MVP.
In 2019, the No. 22 Lady Cats were pushed out in the first round by No. 11 Albany, 12-0.
Her freshman year, the Lady Cats were 11-20 and fell 3-1 in a Class-3A first round battle to No. 8 South Beauregard.
She started playing softball at seven years old and Guillory said she mostly played third base and shortstop before moving to catcher in fast pitch.
She also played for Student Athlete Advancement travel ball the past two seasons.
“From my first day out there I cold tell she is naturally talented,” Eunice High head softball coach Trenon Trosclair. “She play shard and gets after it every day.
“She has good energy and she is a great player,” Trosclair said. “That’s all you can ask for as a coach.”