Bulldogs’ Hiener chooses Harvard
The 2016 high school softball season is the fourth for Alissa Hiener on Ramona High School’s varsity. Next year she will join the Harvard University softball roster.
“I’m just really excited. I love the team already, I love the coaches,” Hiener said. “I’m just really excited for the atmosphere on the other side of the United States.”
Hiener is a lifelong Ramona resident who attended Ramona Community School before her four years at Ramona High School. She was also considering Dartmouth, Yale, the University of San Diego and University of California San Diego before choosing Harvard.
“I just saw how the coaches were with the players and how everyone got along,” Hiener said of her decision to play for Harvard. “It was just a really good atmosphere that I wanted to be a part of.”
The Ivy League does not have athletic scholarships, so Hiener did not sign a letter of intent to play for the Crimson. She provided Harvard with a verbal commitment in October 2015.
“I didn’t know for sure until I got into the college,” she said.
She was notified of her acceptance into Harvard in December.
“We put academics first, and I think Alissa absolutely exemplifies that,” said Cori McDonald, who was Ramona’s coach for Hiener’s first three seasons with the Bulldogs. “It’s truly amazing to get an Ivy League education through softball.”
Hiener’s grade point average exceeds 4.0.
“She’s done phenomenal in school,” McDonald said.
Hiener has not yet chosen a major.
“I’m still exploring my options. I was thinking about biology, but I’m not really sure now,” she said.
Hiener will also wait until deciding on post-college plans.
When she was 6, Hiener began her softball career with Ramona Girls Softball League competition. She started playing travel ball when she was 12 and most recently has played for the Power Surge travel club.
She made the Ramona varsity as a freshman and is a pitcher, second baseman and shortstop. She works with private pitching coach Bill Corbett to improve her mound skills.
“She’s a really hard worker,” McDonald said. “She never let anything hold her back and get in her way.”
Ramona won the Valley League championship in 2014 and in 2015. The Bulldogs were undefeated last year.
“That was a really good accomplishment,” Hiener said.
Other highlights of Hiener’s Ramona High School softball career included reaching the CIF Division I championship game in 2014 and pitching a perfect game against Mission Vista in league play last year.
“I want to thank my pitching coach, Bill Corbett, my parents, and two of my teachers, Mrs. Brainard and Mr. Nichols, for writing my recommendation letters to Harvard,” Hiener said.