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By C.Y. Peters

Star Correspondent

The legend of Alana Parsons continues to grow.

On Tuesday evening, the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) announced its All-AAC Teams for the 2025 softball season, and former Unaka High School standout Alana Parsons was recognized as one of the league’s best, earning second-team honors at first base for Milligan University.

Parsons, who was also named to the All-Academic Team along with 13 of her teammates, put together a monster season at the plate, finishing with a .407 batting average, eight home runs and 30 RBIs. Her power was undeniable — 26 of her 46 hits went for extra bases, helping her to a slugging percentage of .788 overall and an even more jaw-dropping .886 in conference play.

But her value wasn’t limited to offense. Parsons was a defensive rock at first base, committing just one error in 151 chances during AAC play, and posted a .993 fielding percentage for the season.

“She was the heart of our lineup,” said Milligan head coach — with a proud grin. “Whether it was the clutch hits or the defensive consistency, Alana was everything we needed and more.”

Parsons first made a name for herself back in Carter County, when as a senior at Unaka she delivered one of the most memorable moments in program history — a walk-off home run in the district title game that sealed the championship for the Lady Rangers.

“She’s been doing this since middle school,” said former softball legend Jarfly Dugger. “Big moments don’t scare her — she thrives in them.”

Parsons was one of 14 Buffaloes named to the All-Academic Team, joining Alexis Brown, Hannah Bates, Faith Caldwell, Marissa Casstevens, Miami Grasse, Jaylyn Halliburton, Maggie Johnson, Morgan Lawson, Bree Presnell, Stephanie Steele, Haley Vigil, Hadley York and Wheatley York.

With the combination of athletic dominance and academic excellence, Alana Parsons continues to represent Unaka with pride — now shining bright on the collegiate stage.