Florida State's Dani Morgan Defers Grad School For Softball

As a college freshman in 2017, Dani Morgan never could have imagined the experiences she would live through and memories she would create as a Florida State Seminole. From winning a national championship in 2018 to forming bonds with her teammates, Morgan has cherished each moment she has spent in a Seminole uniform.

Perhaps that is why the senior outfielder wasn't quite ready to give up that experience just yet.

When Morgan’s senior season was cut short in March because of the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, she was devastated about the way it appeared her softball career was going to end.

“I didn’t like not having a say in how the season ended,” Morgan told Softball America.

However, when the NCAA's Division I Council ruled in favor of eligibility relief for Division I spring student-athletes in late March, Morgan was given another chance to end her softball career on her own terms. After the NCAA's announcement, Morgan decided to return to Florida State for her fifth and final season in 2021.

And while it initially appeared to be a no-brainer for Morgan to return to the softball program she believes has helped her grow as both a student-athlete and a woman, there was one factor complicating things: graduate school.

Morgan graduated from Florida State this spring with a bachelor's degree in Sport Management and was accepted into South Carolina's Master of Human Resource Management program. Instead of opting to begin graduate school this fall, Morgan deferred her enrollment until the fall of 2021 so she could don the garnet and gold for one more season.

“Florida State is so much more than just a school or a softball team,” Morgan added. “It’s a transformative program and a family atmosphere that means so much to the people who are a part of it.”

During her time as a Seminole, Morgan has racked up several awards and recognitions. In 2017, she was named  to the All-ACC Freshman Team and was the ACC Tournament MVP. In addition to helping her team win a national title, she has been a part of three ACC championships, and was an All-Region selection in 2019.

Also, heading into the 2020 campaign, Morgan ranked No. 18 in Softball America's Preseason College Top 100 and was named a Softball America Preseason All-American.

For next season, Morgan has lofty goals for her Seminoles. Aside from helping her team win championships, she also wants to continue on her journey toward personal growth during her final season at Florida State.

“I wasn’t ready for it to be over,” Morgan said. “I feel like I have unfinished business to take care of.”

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