FORT MYERS, Fla.- After starting 50 games behind the plate for the NJCAA National Champion Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers last season, sophomore catcher Sietske Drijvers has signed her National Letter of Intent to play at Mercer University next season.

Drijvers was a workhorse for the Bucs as a freshman, playing in 54 games and hitting .273 with 10 doubles, 3 home runs, and 29 RBIs. She was rewarded for her efforts by being named a 2nd Team All-Southern Conference selection by the league's coaches.  Drijvers kicked off her FSW career just about as well as you could have scripted it, hitting a solo home run in her first at bat in a win over Santa Fe on opening day.  She finished with seven multi-hit games on the season including a 2-3 effort with a double in the Bucs National Tournament Semifinal win over Odessa. But it wasn't just on the offensive side of the ball that Drijvers got it done as she fielded .988 as the Bucs everyday catcher, throwing out 10 would be base stealers on the season.  At the National Tournament she went errorless in the Bucs five games, earning Most Outstanding Defensive player of the tournament. 

Mercer was 20-37 a season ago, going 8-10 in SoCon action where they qualified for the conference tournament and won a pair of games before falling in the semifinals to 2^nd seeded Samford to finish 3^rd.  There are a number of familiar faces on the Bears 2024 roster including Drijvers 2023 teammate with the Bucs Laura Vigna, 2021 FSW National Champions Janessa Plummer and two-time Bucs All-Americans Courtney Gettins and Rebeca Laudino who are Assistant Coaches at Mercer.

Drijvers signed on National Signing Day alongside teammate Sydney McCray who will be headed to Grand Canyon University next season.

The Bucs get their 2024 season going on Saturday, January 27^th when they take part in the Juco Kickoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida, opening the campaign against Georgia Military and St. Johns River on opening day.