Surrounded by family, friends, teammates, a state senator and former coaches, Jessica Koumas made the transition from high school graduate to soon-to-be college student-athlete with one swift move of the pen.With those in attendance at Hall’s Restaurant in Lugoff serving as a backdrop, the 2013 Lugoff-Elgin High School graduated completed a roundabout journey to Coker College by signing a national softball letter-of-intent with the Lady Cobras.What made this signing unusual was the fact that Koumas did not play high school softball in either her junior or senior seasons. Instead, the right-hander played travel ball for the Richland County-based Palmetto Heat. And as for the connection between Koumas and the Lady Cobras’ softball staff, that came after she had made her decision to attend the Hartsville institution as a student, earlier this year.The fact that she had been accepted as a student first, before getting the opportunity to play softball at Coker, made Monday’s ceremony all the more sweet.“I always think of school before softball,” Koumas said following her signing.