Traverse City Central softball seniors eye Division 1 futures

Piper Cavanaugh and Grace Cary are taking Traverse City Central softball from the Big North Conference to two of the nation’s biggest college stages next season. Cavanaugh, a pitcher, is headed to the University of Oregon, and Cary, a catcher, will play at Ohio State University, a pairing that shows how quickly the Trojans have turned local talent into Division 1 recruits.

Central first announced the two seniors’ college paths on Nov. 12, 2025, and Ohio State later included Cary among five new signees. The match-up is notable far beyond one senior class. Central is a Division 1 program in the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s Big North Conference, which means Cavanaugh and Cary developed in one of the state’s most competitive settings before earning major-college opportunities.

Their departures also point to a program that is winning while sending players up the ladder. Central opened the 2026 season at 8-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play, and a recent MaxPreps recap said the Trojans had won seven straight before their April 16 game against Traverse City West. Another recent result showed Central beating Negaunee 10-3. In that stretch, Cavanaugh’s numbers stood out even more: MaxPreps listed her with a .786 batting average and ranked her among Michigan’s top hitters and among the state’s Division 1 leaders in multiple categories. Cary also emerged as one of Central’s top stat leaders.

The timing matters for the next wave of Trojan players. Juli Tiesworth was named Central’s new varsity softball coach on Feb. 25, 2025, and the seniors’ college moves now give the program a clear benchmark under new leadership. For younger athletes around Grand Traverse County, the lesson is plain: Division 1 attention is being earned at Central by producing high-end results in the circle, behind the plate and at the plate, all while competing in a league that leaves little room for shortcuts.

Central’s senior class has already produced more than one college commitment, with lacrosse player Quinn Gerber also signing with Nova Southeastern. But Cavanaugh and Cary stand out because they represent the most visible pipeline in local athletics, the one that turns a Traverse City roster spot into a place on an Oregon or Ohio State lineup.