Photography by Steve Buchanan
North Dorchester High School senior Anna Hopkins acquired the nickname “The Rocket” for her booming serve on the volleyball court. “I heard one of the players say, ‘It’s like a rocket,’” North Dorchester Volleyball and Softball Coach Carol Hubbard recalls, “and it just has kind of stuck.”
The nickname is even more fitting for the 5-foot-1 Hopkins on the softball diamond. The shortstop possesses blazing speed and puts up eye-catching stolen base numbers. She can also easily turn a single into a double.
Hubbard calls Hopkins the fastest player she’s coached in a decade on the job. “Kent Island High has a center fielder who is an indoor track state champion,” the coach says, referring to Rilyn Heyliger in the 500 meters. “On the bases, running short distances, I would put Anna up against her any day.”
Hopkins is so talented at softball that she’ll play at Salisbury University next year, which has been ranked the No. 1 Division III program in the country in the National Federation Coaches Association poll. That may come as somewhat of a surprise, considering her height. But she compensates with hustle, grit, quickness, and a winning attitude.
“I compete against girls that are 5-10, 5-11,” Hopkins says. “There are always girls that are bigger than me. I’ve had to prove that I am just as good as they are. I think it is pretty challenging being my height. Coaches usually go for taller or bigger-built athletes. You won’t see a 5-foot-1 girl play at a Division I college level.”
The 18-year-old Hopkins considered playing softball at Virginia Wesleyan University and Delaware Technical Community College. She chose Salisbury because she wanted to be close to home. Hopkins, who carries a 4.22 grade-point average, plans to major in nursing.
“I want to be able to have my parents come watch me play,” she explains. “My dad has coached me my entire life. He has dedicated a lot of time to me, so I look forward to having him see me play.”
Salisbury University Softball Coach Lacey Lord is excited to have a determined athlete coming into her program. “She probably carries a chip on her shoulder because she wants to prove people wrong that assume she can’t do all the things that someone who is 5-8 can do,” Lord says. “We are generally known for bigger, larger players. But at the end of the day, we are looking for players with a skill set.”
Hopkins, a team co-captain, also gets high marks for her leadership skills. She’s good at keeping the underclassmen focused. “One of her great assets as a captain is her ability to talk to the other players,” Hubbard says. “She does a really good job of addressing issues in a positive way and getting the kids to work together.”
To improve her skills, Hopkins joined the Delmarva Freedom Softball Club in Delaware. She says the club—which also uses her as an outfielder—plays up and down the East Coast and paid for her to attend several camps, including ones at Salisbury, Virginia Wesleyan, and elsewhere.
“That has really gotten me seen by college coaches,” says Hopkins, who has played softball for 10 years and plays outstanding defense. “It gave me the exposure I needed.”
Hopkins has gotten plenty of attention playing for North Dorchester. She is a three-year starter at shortstop who earned Bayside First-Team All-Conference honors in 2022 after hitting .417 with 27 stolen bases and 45 runs scored for the 17-4 Eagles.
“She is really good at sneaking the bunt in at the last minute so she can catch the defense off guard,” Hubbard says. “And she can usually outrun them.”
Hopkins got off to a torrid start this spring, helping North Dorchester to a 6-0 record by batting .449 with 12 RBIs, five stolen bases, and 16 runs scored.
“When I am up to bat, some coaches from the other team pull their girls in from the outfield to a shorter distance because they don’t feel I can hit it as far,” Hopkins says. “They don’t think I have as much power as I do. So, I hit it over their head a lot.”
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