Liberty County High School standout soccer player Sidney Wilkinson Wednesday signed to play at Brewton-Parker College in the fall.
"It’s a rush. It’s very exciting," she said moments after signing. "I’ve worked since I was growing up and I’ve always dreamed big in soccer, so to finally accomplish it is a great feeling."
Her school choice ended up being a faith based choice. Wilkinson said Brewton-Parker, a private Christian college, was the first school that reached out to her during her junior year, and even with other offers, she was lead right back to the first school that gave her an offer.
"All in all, it was really my faith in God," she said.
Her father, Michael Wilkinson, is ecstatic his daughter reached her goal of a college scholarship, but is also happy that she won’t be far from home. Bewton-Parker is in Mt. Vernon about an hour and a half from Liberty County.
"Fathers don’t want their daughters to get too far away," he said. "I wanted her close, within a safe driving distance, and Brewton-Parker is an excellent school. Good Christian based school, small classes, and everybody knows everybody. Real family based."
Brewton-Parker head coach Brittney Gadd said Wilkinson is one of her top incoming freshman out of the 11 recruits coming in late summer. It will also be Gadd’s first season with her own recruits, after being hired as the Barons head coach in March 2016. Wilkinson will move in July 30 and have a two-week preseason before the Barons first game on Aug. 15.
She finished her phenomenal senior season at Liberty County, leading Region 2-AAA region and finishing 5th in Class AAA with 22 goals and 47 points.
In one game this season she recorded six goals and one assist in the Panthers 10-1 victory over Appling County in February.
Panthers head coach Marissa Kerins said Wilkinson’s signing is one of the proudest moments she’s had at Liberty as the head coach, and has seen her grow over the last three years that she’s coached.
Wilkinson also had a stint as the kicker on the Panthers football team, which gave her a boost playing soccer. Going 7 for 10 in field goal attempts, Wilkinson said the conditioning and playing football gave her more confidence, and made her stronger and faster on the soccer field.
As for her collegiate career, Wilkinson is ready to take her talents to the next level. "I’m ready for the change and the big step. I’m ready," she said.