CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University softball program and head coach
Casey Bourgoyne-Charles are set to welcome 14 newcomers, which includes a mix of freshman and transfer student-athletes, to the program as part of the incoming recruiting class.
"We are extremely excited about this class of signees as the largest group that we have brought in," said Bourgoyne-Charles. "With four freshmen and ten junior college transfers, obviously we were targeting players that had experience, and that also come from competitive programs. We were looking for players that can come in and have an immediate impact, and I believe we've found that with these ladies."
Karley Bloesch | Popular Grove, Ark. | C/OF | Marvell Academy
Bloesch has been an All-Conference selection every year since the sixth grade, and was named to the All-Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) team her sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school. Bloesh was also the District 2A Co-Most Valuable Player and hit .778 with 30 RBI this season for Marvell Academy. Bloesch, the valedictorian of her class and president of the National Honor Society, was also an All-Conference selection and All-Star game participant on the basketball court.
Mecolett Bradley | New Orleans, La. | 1B | Coastal Alabama Community College
A transfer from Coastal Alabama, Bradley helped lead the Sun Chiefs to a 16-6 record this season before the rest of the 2020 schedule was canceled. Bradley hit .311 hit 10 RBI and six doubles in the abbreviated season. Bradley hit .303 her freshman season, clubbed seven home runs, posted 45 RBI, and added nine doubles and 36 scored runs. Bradley also boasted a .932 fielding percentage at first base for the Sun Chiefs.
Alyssa Branyan | Hernando, Miss. | 1B | Meridian Community College
Branyan joins the Lady Statesmen as a transfer from Meridian. The Hernando, Miss., native got out to a blistering start to the 2020 season before the remainder of the year was canceled. Branyan turned in a .400 batting average with two homers, nine RBI, and six runs scored in 14 games. In her debut season in 2019, Branyan boasted a .328 batting average in 42 games. She also hit eight home runs, drove in 39 for the Eagles, and added four doubles. She also stole a base, walked 14 times and scored 14 runs for the Eagles. She also made five appearances in the circle, including one start, that totaled three innings of work.
Lacey Coats | Hernando, Miss. | P | Northwest Mississippi Community College
Coats joins the Lady Statesmen from NWCC and was one of two Lady Rangers to earn All-MACJC recognition in 2019. Coats made 32 appearances and 17 starts in her freshman season in 2019 and posted a 7-11 record and a 3.07 ERA. She tossed eight complete games and opponents hit just .237 against her. This season, in a COVID-19 shortened season, Coats made eight appearances and six starts and posted a 3-3 record. Coats also hit .409 in 22 at bats in 2019 with two doubles and six RBI for the Lady Rangers. As a junior in high school, Coats helped the Lady Tigers to a 21-9-1 overall record and the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs. She also helped Hernando High School to five postseason berths for her varsity career.
Summer Cryder | Tupelo, Miss. | INF (3B) | Itawamba Community College
Cryder got out to a quick start for ICC before the rest of the spring season was canceled, hitting .429 with a home run, 10 RBI, 10 runs, and two doubles in 10 games. The Mooreville High School product hit .303 her freshman season in 56 games for the Indians. She clubbed 10 home runs, had 41 RBI, and scored 38 runs while also adding 10 doubles and eight stolen bases. Cryder was part of ICC's conference championship team, which went on to finish as the region runner-up and seventh place at nationals in 2019.
Hope Harbin | Caledonia, Miss. | OF | Itawamba Community College
A teammate of Cryder's and also part of the team that finished seventh at nationals in 2019, the Caledonia, Miss., native helped ICC go 40-16-1 and win its conference championship her freshman season. Harbin hit .405 in 53 games in 2019, and contributed 19 RBI, 31 runs, and 20 stolen bases as part of ICC's outfield. This season, Harbin continued that success to the tune of a .429 batting average, eight RBI, 15 runs, and six stolen bases in 14 games before the rest of the season was canceled. She did not make an error in the outfield and added two doubles and two triples.
Hannah Hasle | Colleyville, Texas | P | Northeastern State
A transfer from NCAA Division II Northeastern State, Hasle joins the Lady Statesmen in the circle. Hasle redshirted her freshman season at NSU in 2019 before breaking into the Riverhawks' pitching rotation. She appeared in six games in 2020 before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She went 0-1 and also made two starts. Hasle logged 15 innings and allowed 12 runs against seven strikeouts. Before arriving at NSU, Hasle played for coach Allison Conway at Colleyville Heritage High School, where she went 28-8 with a 2.20 ERA and 210 strikeouts. She was also team MVP her sophomore season and was a two-time District Pitcher of the Year.
Katelynn Hayman | Clinton, Miss. | OF | Copiah Lincoln Community College
Hayman helped Co-Lin to a 12-1 start to the 2020 season before it was canceled, posting a .359 average with three homers and nine RBI. She also walked twice, stole nine bases, scored 13 runs and hit three doubles for the Wolves. The outfielder saw similar success in her debut collegiate season in 2019, when she hit .356 and helped the Wolves to a 31-17 overall record. Hayman drove in 22 runs, hit four homers, and scored 39 runs in her freshman season. She also added nine doubles and showed off her speed with 25 steals.
Hannah Higdon | Water Valley, Miss. | INF | Mississippi Delta Community College
Higdon comes to Delta State from MDCC, where she got off to a quick start for the Trojans before the rest of 2020 season was canceled. Higdon hit .405 in 12 games of her sophomore campaign and also added two home runs, seven RBI, five walks, and nine runs scored. Those numbers came on the heels of a freshman season that saw her hit .299 with a pair of home runs ad 24 RBI in 41 games. She scored 21 runs and struck out just 13 times in 120 at bats. The Water Valley High School product was a six-year letterman and a three-time All-District selection in her prep career. She was also a powerlifting and volleyball All-District selection.
Ryan Lawrence | Leesville, La. | C/3B | Pickering High School
Lawrence was a First Team All-District catcher for the past three seasons at Pickering High School. Ryan also garnered a number of other distinguished honors in her time at Pickering, including making the All-Vernon Parish softball team this past year. Lawrence was also named to the All-Cenla team this year and garnered Honorable Mention All-State honors as well. Lawrence was her team's Offensive Player of the Year in 2018.
Sara Lawrence | Clarksdale, Miss. | INF | Mississippi Delta Community College
A teammate of Higdon's at MDCC, Lawrence joins the Lady Statesmen program as another transfer. Lawrence saw action in 11 games for the Trojans this season before it was canceled. She collected a trio of hits, score five runs, drove in a run, waked four times and stole three bases. Lawrence did a little bit of everything for MDCC in her freshman campaign as well, logging a home run, 16 RBI, five doubles, and 13 runs scored while playing in 44 games.
Raegan Stafford | Southaven, Miss. | INF (2B) | Desoto Central High School
Another valedictorian of her respective class, Stafford joins the #DSUFamily as a talented middle infielder from Desoto Central. A Delta Honor Graduate, Stafford was First Team All-County this season and was a Mississippi Association of Coaches All-Star this year as well. The infielder was part of three straight 6A Region 1 District Championships (2017-2019), and was also part of back-to-back MHSAA 6A State Championship teams (2018, 2019). Stafford excelled as a dual-sport ahtlete as well, making the MAC All-Star volleyball team. She was also part of Desoto's MHSAA 6A State Runner-Up team in 2018 and was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Under Armour All-American Watch List in 2019. Off the field, Stafford was involved in numerous clubs and initiatives including the International Club, the Spirit Club, the DCHS Ambassadors, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Superintendent's Youth Leadership Council.
Brookelyn Sweeney | Belle Chasse, La. | P/Utility | Northwest Florida Community College
Sweeney makes her way to the Delta after having helped lead Northwest Florida to a 27-8 season. The Raiders were amidst a 14-1 streak in the team's final 15 games before the rest of the season was canceled. Sweeney made 19 appearances on the mound for the Raiders and posted a 5-2 record in 10 starts. She turned in six complete games, two of which were no-hitters. She turned in a 2.07 ERA in 64.1 innings pitched and gave up just 19 earned runs against 64 strikeouts. The Belle Chase, La., native also hit .237 with three home runs, 14 RBI, and 13 runs scored. In her freshman season for the Raiders, Sweeney drove in three runs and scored a pair of runs in 30 games, but primarily saw action as a pitcher. There, she had a 4.47 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 62.2 innings pitched. She had a 1-4 record and made 11 starts in 22 total appearances in the circle. Sweeney was named her district's Most Valuable Player in her junior season and also earned All-Metro Team honors in 2018 at Belle Chasse High School. She was also recognized as the district's Most Valuable Pitcher her senior season.
Alana Walker | Taylorsville, Miss. | OF | Taylorsville Attendance Center
Entering the program as a freshman, Walker played for head coach Mason Grissom at Taylorsville where she was an All-District selection in 2019. Walker was also coached by former Lady Statesman great Kassidy Tally. Walker helped lead her team to a 23-7 overall record in 2017 and a Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) 2A State Championship. She also helped lead Taylorsville Lady Tartars to a 23-6 record the following season. Walker received All-District and Gold Glove honors for her performances on the diamond. She also lettered in volleyball and cheer, and earned Best All-Around honors for the volleyball team and played two season for Taylorsville. She was also part of a cheerleading state championship and graduated with honors.
"This group has a great mix of all positions and skillsets," said Bourgoyne-Charles. "All of these future Lady Statesman are outstanding young women and will all serve an important role in our program. We are excited about each of these players, and we are excited about the future of DSU Softball!"
