With her softball career at East Mississippi Community College winding down, Chandler Ellis started to ponder her future and wonder if the 2016 season would be her last.

It won’t be. The former Vicksburg High star not only found a place to continue her career, but a really good place.

Ellis signed with Mississippi Valley State earlier this month. Valley won eight Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament championships between 2004 and 2013 and reached the quarterfinals of this year’s tournament.

“I didn’t really understand Valley, but when we first moved here from Missouri I remember watching them in the SWAC championship game and they were really good. When they came to visit me, I was blown away that a school like that wanted me to play for them,” Ellis said. “Their softball is like Mississippi football. They live and breathe softball there. Everyone knows who you are because you’re part of the softball program.”

Ellis, a pitcher, signed with East Mississippi out of high school but is making history by signing with Valley. She’s the first player from Warren County to sign with a Division I program since the area high schools added fast-pitch softball as a varsity sport in 1999.

“That’s really cool. That’s a big accomplishment. I had no idea about that,” Ellis said when informed of that fact. “It’s always been a dream to play Division I. To actually do it, it still hasn’t hit me. I’m watching the (NCAA) regionals, and thinking I could be there the next two years. It’s a dream come true.”

Ellis was used mostly as a relief pitcher this season at East Mississippi. She appeared in 12 games and started four, with two complete games. She compiled a 3-2 record with one save, a 4.80 ERA, seven strikeouts and 16 walks in 23 1/3 innings.

To prepare for the next phase of her career, she said she’s started to run more and work on her mechanics before reporting to campus in August.

“The last couple of weeks I’ve been working out every day and running 2 ½ to three miles a day. I have to throw as soon as I get up there, so I need to get stronger,” Ellis said. “I’m also doing a lot of beam work. It’s a 4×4 piece of wood that my dad built, and you have to stand on while you pitch. It keeps everything in line. If you step off it you’re going to roll an ankle.”

Ellis admitted that she’s nervous at the prospect of pitching at the next level, but figures those butterflies will fly away once she gets closer to reporting and then into practice and competition. Now it’s just about getting ready and proving she belongs.

“It’s very exciting. I’ve been nervous to go there and show that they gave me a scholarship for a reason,” Ellis said.