Former UK softball player who starred at Somerset High School dies in crash
A member of the 2017 University of Kentucky softball team died in a single-vehicle crash early Wednesday morning in Woodford County.
Brynlee Bigelow, 21, was not wearing a seat belt when she crashed on Interstate 64, and she was thrown out of her truck and onto the highway, LEX 18 reported. Officials say she must have lost control of her car, which rolled multiple times, according to WKYT.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Brynlee, our former teammate who has left us far too soon,” the UK softball team posted on Twitter in tribute to Bigelow. “Our heartfelt sympathies are with her family, friends and everyone affected by this tragedy.”
Bigelow was a fourth-year student in UK’s College of Fine Arts, studying Digital Media and Design, a spokesman for UK said.
The 2016 Commonwealth Journal Softball Player of the Year, Bigelow was a former star at Somerset High School. She made three straight All-County softball teams and batted .446 her senior year with 23 RBIs and 48 runs, according to the newspaper.
Her former athletic director said Bigelow was “as fine an all-around athlete that we had here at Somerset in my 40 years,” the Commonwealth-Journal reported when she signed with UK.
At UK, Bigelow transitioned from a right-handed batter to left-handed shortly before the season started, head coach Rachel Lawson said. She had high hopes for the speedy catcher.
“She is incredibly fast. On the bases, she can create unbelievable offense,” Lawson said in comments before the 2017 season. “She in one of our fall scrimmages against Western Kentucky, she actually jumped over the catcher to tag home plate. You don’t teach that. That’s a God-given talent.”
She was one of six softball players to be named to the Southeastern Conference First-Year Honor Roll. Bigelow did not return to the softball team after the 2017 season.
One of her friends, Cameron Asher, wrote on Facebook after Bigelow’s death “it’s so heartbreaking to see so many go so soon.”
“You were one of the most genuine people that I knew and I was so thankful to have you as a friend,” he said. “Just the other day you encouraged me about graduation and talked to me about life for a few minutes in the student center. Brynlee was one of my closest friends since my freshman year.”
A friend who knew Bigelow since pre-school, Mariah Alise Perry, posted on Facebook that she had just talked to her Tuesday. Sarah Estep asked for prayers for Bigelow’s family.
“She was such a loyal friend, amazing athlete, sister and daughter,” Estep added. “Always unapologetically herself. I’m blessed to have known her and seen her ability to light up a room.”
This story was originally published February 12, 2020 at 4:56 PM.