NEWBERRY — Ciria Triplett, head coach of the Newberry College women’s softball team, has announced the signing of 10 players who will be joining the squad for the 2018 season.
Outfielder Ashley Willis joins Newberry from River Bluff High School in Lexington. She also played travel ball for the SC Jets. While at River Bluff, she earned All-Region and Coaches Award honors over several seasons.
Willis lettered over six seasons, was named Female Athlete of the Year, and won the U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award. She was chosen as MVP and named Defensive Player of the Year her junior year. She lettered over six seasons. Willis is also sister to current junior and dual-sport athlete, Natalie Willis.
Infielder Kailey Carpenter stems from Clover High School and travel team, SC Jets. She has been a varsity starter since her freshman year in high school. In the 2015 season, Carpenter lead the state championship team in runs and stolen bases. She followed that year up with an All-Region performance in Region 4 AAAAA.
Rotational Infielder/Outfielder Morgan Wagaman comes from Greencastle-Antrim High School in Pennsylvania where her travel team was the Lady Orioles Gold. She is a four-year varsity starter who has won three division championships. Wagaman’s travel ball team qualified for ASA Gold Nationals in Salem, Ore., where she started at second base.
Utility player Gabrielle Doyle joins the Wolves from Indian Land High School, playing travel ball for the Carolina Comets Gold. Doyle was a four-year starter and served as captain for two years. She has won two regional conference titles, two MVP awards, batted over .300, and was the leader in fielding percentage for two years. The Denver, Colo. native also played for the All-Stars and was awarded the FFA Green Hand Award.
Infielder Paige Myer joins from Floyd Central High School in Floyds Knobs, Ind., and played travel ball for the Indiana Gators. She was named second team All-Area and All-Conference. Myer also led the conference in batting average and on-base percentage, having no strikeouts through 80 at bats. Her travel team went all the way to the USA/ASA Nationals in Texas. She was also a runner up for Player of the Year.
Outfielder McKenzie Barneycastle comes to Newberry from Davies High School in North Carolina, where her travel ball team was the Carolina Cardinals. In 2015, she was named Offensive Player of the Year and Scholar Athlete. The next year she followed that up with winning a National Championship with her travel team the Carolina Cardinals.
In 2017, she was named team captain and helped lead her travel team to another National Championship. During her time at Davies High School, Barneycastle was a two time All-Conference and All-District player.
Right-handed Pitcher Alyssa Ball comes from Caser Rodney High School in Camden, Del., and played travel ball for Delaware Cobras Gold. For four consecutive years, she was an Academic All-Conference player and on the honor roll. Ball made both first and second team All-Conference and All-State for pitching. Her senior year, Ball was an Educator Scholar as well as Salutatorian.
Outfielder Sydney Patterson joins the Wolves from Easley High School, playing travel ball for Team FCA. Patterson graduated with honors and received the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, while being in the top 10 percent of her class. Athletically, she won All-Region player (2013, 2015-2017) and Team Offensive Player of the Year 2015-2016. Patterson was also a six-year letter.
Left-handed pitcher Sarah Stegall hails from Central High School in Pageland and played travel ball for the Carolina Fire. During her senior year, Stegall had 69 strikeouts, 69 outs, 23 assists, and three shut-outs. While in high school she maintained a 4.512 GPA, was fourth in her class, and was nominated for the Wall of Fame.
Pitcher Selice Daley is a transfer from USC Upstate who graduated from Thomas Heyward Academy. Daley lettered in softball during her time there and played travel ball for Lady Lightning 18U Gold Pedy. She was named a Player of the Year and CO-AA Player of the Year, and an All-American during her junior year.
In 2013, Daley garnered SCISA I-AA All-Region Team and SCISA Region I-AA Player of the Year accolades. She obtained that All-Region Team praise again in 2014 as well as SCISA Region IV-AA Player of the Year (2014-2015) honors.
Newberry will open their season against the Patriots of Francis Marion University with a double header Feb. 4 in Florence, starting at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Wolves swept the Patriots last year in a double header with scores of 5-4 and 8-0.