SIGNING: Princeton's Eklund, Flowers each ink NLI

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 13, 2016 9:40 AM

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PRINCETON -- One-stop searching.

Princeton seniors Daisey Eklund and Tanner Flowers used the same approach when they scoped out their future homes once they hang up their respective blue-and-gold uniforms.

Eklund signed a national letter-of-intent to play volleyball at Division I Hartford (Conn.) University. Flowers, meanwhile, will head north on Highway 301 to play baseball at Barton College.

Neither second-guessed their decision.

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In-state schools showed interest in Eklund, who plays on the Triangle Volleyball Club 17 White travel team. Coach Lorrelle Hoyer has ties with Hartford and encouraged Eklund to contact Hawks head coach Mitch Kallick.

Eklund emailed Kallick.

Once the two started to communicate on a daily basis, Eklund couldn't say "no."

"He knows what he is doing and he's taking the program to new levels in the coming years," said Eklund, who is the program's first Division I signee during Princeton head coach Paige Renfrow's five-year tenure on the bench.

"I feel like I work hard at everything I do, and I really want to get in there and play. I know that even if I'm not the best when I walk in the gym, I know I can push everybody else to be the best while pushing myself at the same time."

Over a two-year period, Eklund helped guide Princeton to 42 wins, an eastern regional title and a state runner-up finish in the 2015 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A state playoffs. The outside hitter converted to a middle hitter role in Renfrow's system and logged an eye-popping .448 hitting percentage. Her other notable career numbers -- 622 kills, 152 blocks and 146 service aces.

Hartford compiled a 5-19 worksheet with just two seniors on the roster this fall. The Hawks anticipate returning 14 players for the 2017 season.

"(Kallick) recruited me as an outside hitter because that's what I played for club last year," Eklund said. "I know that I need to improve my vertical (jump) and my stamina. I wouldn't say I get tired easily, but to succeed at that level, I need to last a lot longer. I think I can excel on the outside."

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Flowers commanded the bump last spring.

A left-hander with a slick delivery like a used car salesman, Flowers baffled opposing batters with a four-pitch arsenal -- a two- and four-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball and change-up. While he modestly admits he hasn't mastered any of the pitches, he held opposing teams to a .113 on-base percentage.

He logged an incredible -- and microscopic -- career-best 0.26 earned run average. He sent 92 hitters back to the dugout with a "K" (strikeout) beside their name in the scorebook. Just 13 batters drew a free pass. And all of this happened in nearly 80 innings of work during the Bulldogs' 20-7 campaign.

"I hit my spots very well... locate and I do throw fairly hard," Flowers said. "What I need to work on is developing a change-up and a sharper breaking ball. Actually, they all need improvement. They've (Barton) got a lot of strong pitchers, but I think I can be asset on the mound for them."

Flowers lauded pitching coach Justin Willoughby, a PHS graduate who played in the Braves' organization. The lessons have been valuable, but the most important component of Flowers' game has been his mental improvement. He's no longer a "herky-jerky" thrower and understands how to dictate the pace of the game.

Barton's pitching staff turned in a 3.92 team ERA last spring. The Bulldogs finished fifth in Conference Carolinas regular-season play and 31-20 overall.