BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana Softball has announced its list of signees from the 2017 class, with eight high school seniors set to join the Hoosiers next fall. Annika Baez, Karly Combs, Makayla Ferrari, Emily Goodin, Riley Hecklinski, Carolyn Kuhn, Taylor Lambert and Maddie Westmoreland all signed their National Letters of Intent this week.
"Our program is so excited to welcome this next class of Hoosiers," said head coach Michelle Gardner. "This is a great group of eight kids who can have an immediate impact on a program that is truly on the rise. Each one offers a different set of skills and brings a lot to Indiana, both on and off the field."
Annika Baez Infielder | Oro Valley, Ariz. | Ironwood RidgeAnnika Baez
An infielder from Oro Valley, Ariz., Annika Baez was named to the 2016 All-Southern Arizona First Team after posting a .455 average with 41 RBI, 11 doubles, eight homers and an on-base percentage of .484. The right-handed hitter also earned Team MVP and Division II All-State Honorable Mention accolades in 2016 to lead Ironwood Ridge to a 33-4 record and a Division II State Championship, its second in three years. In 2015, Baez hit .515 with 39 RBI, 16 doubles and four homers with a .559 on-base percentage.
Baez plays travelball for AZ Cats where she has guided the team to three straight PGF Premier Berth victories, a 2016 first-place finish in TCS Fireworks, as well as three OnDeck National Elite Camp victories. Baez previously played travelball with fellow IU signee Taylor Lambert. The daughter of Rudy and Alfa, Baez has one brother, Nathan, and one sister, Gabrielle. Karly CombsKarly Combs Infielder | Carmel, Ind. | Carmel
Karly Combs joins the Hoosiers from Carmel, Ind. and was the 2016 Indiana State 4A middle infielder fielding percentage leader after recording a .975 percentage at second base. At the plate, Combs hit .390 with a .451 on-base percentage in 2016 and was tabbed to the All-MIC Conference team. Combs has led the Carmel Greyhounds to back-to-back MIC Conference Championships and is a three-time Scholar Athlete selection, as well as a member of the National Honor Society.
Combs played travelball for Indiana Magic Gold for three years and currently plays for Indiana Dreams with fellow signees Makayla Ferrari, Emily Goodin and Riley Hecklinski. With the Magic Gold, Combs was a 2016 Atlanta Legacy Runner-Up, as well as a 2015 Colorado IDT Runner-up and a 2014 Triple Crown Nationals Runner-Up. Combs is the daughter of Dave and Dana, and has one brother, Jake, who is an IU junior and manager for the Indiana Softball team.
Makayla Ferrari Outfielder | Valparaiso, Ind. | ValparaisoMakayla Ferrari
A two-time All-State and three-time All-Conference selection, Makayla Ferrari is an outfielder from Valparaiso. Ferrari is coming off a junior season that saw her reach base safely in 27 of 28 games and hit .483 with a .900 slugging percentage. She knocked 42 base hits, including 17 doubles, and was a perfect 7-for-7 in swiping bags. In addition, she tied the school record with 30 RBI in 2016. She has twice been named her team's MVP and twice recorded the highest batting average on the team. In addition, she played in the North vs. South All-Star Game as a freshman.
Ferrari, who also played volleyball at Valparaiso, plays travelball for Indiana Dreams. With Indiana Dreams, Ferrari won the 2016 PGF Tournament in CrownPoint, as well as took a trip to the PGF Nationals in Huntington Beach, Calif. The daughter of Michael and Tammy, Ferrari has one sister, Taylor.
Emily GoodinEmily Goodin Pitcher | Evansville, Ind. | Evansville Mater Dei
Right-handed pitcher Emily Goodin is a two-time All-State and All-Conference selection, as well as twice being named the Evansville Courier and Press All-Metro Player of the Year. In her junior season, she led Evansville Mater Dei to its first State title in school history with a 0.72 ERA in 165 innings pitched. Her 306 strikeouts led the state of Indiana and she finished the year with three no-hitters and a perfect game. In 2016, Goodin was also named a Max-Preps Second Team All-American for Small High Schools, as well as a team captain and MVP. Goodin is a three-time Academic All-Conference honoree and has led the team to a pair of City and SIAC Conference Championships to go along with the 2016 State Championship.
Goodin, who also played basketball for Evansville Mater Dei, plays travelball for Indiana Dreams and led the team to a 2016 appearance at PGF Premier Nationals in Huntington Beach, Calif. Goodin also previously played travelball for the Indiana Aces and Southern Force. The daughter of Benjamin and Julia, Goodin has a sister, Allie, and a brother, Ethan.
Riley HecklinskiRiley Hecklinski Infielder | Zionsville, Ind. | Zionsville Community
Riley Hecklinski, who led Zionsville to its first-ever Regional victory in 2016, joins the Hoosiers as an infielder. Hecklinski hit .353 with 20 RBI and 15 doubles last season while posting a .990 fielding percentage. She earned All-State Honorable Mention honors while also being named the team's Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. In 2015, Hecklinski, who also plays basketball at Zionsville, hit .346 with 25 RBI, 12 doubles and a .586 slugging percentage.
Hecklinski currently plays travelball with Indiana Dreams and previously played for Finesse Fastpitch. She led the team to the PGF Elite National Tourney in 2014 and 2016, while also being picked to participate in the OnDeck National Camps. The daughter of Tiffany and Jeff, Hecklinski has two brothers, Mikey and Jr. Indiana Athletics is a family tradition for Hecklinski as her great grandfather, Russ Deal, is a member of the IU Athletics Hall of Fame and was a team captain of the 1945 Big Ten Championship football team. Her grandfather, Mike Deal, was a member of the 1967 Rose Bowl squad and her uncle, Mark Deal, played football at IU and currently serves as the Assistant Athletic Director for Alumni Relations for Indiana. In addition, her cousin Carrie Deal-Powers played volleyball for the Hoosiers from 2005-06.
Carolyn KuhnCarolyn Kuhn Outfielder | Glenview, Ill. | Glenbrook South
An outfielder from Glenview, Ill., Carolyn Kuhn was a 2016 All-Conference and All-Area selection. She hit .408 with 30 runs scored and a .583 on-base percentage. In the outfield, the lefty had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Kuhn also earned a pair of varsity letters for the Glenbrook South basketball team and is a member of both the Student Council and the National Honors Society.
Kuhn plays travelball for Illinois Chill and has led the team to the PGF Nationals. The daughter of Charlie and Susan, she has one younger brother, Charlie.
Taylor LambertTaylor Lambert Outfielder | Tucson, Ariz. | Cienega
A three-time Southern Arizona Division II First Team selection, Taylor Lambert led Cienega to a State championship in 2015, as well as an All-Section title in 2014. Lambert has posted at least a .400 batting average in all three seasons at Cienega. In her junior season, Lambert hit .494 with 41 hits, 25 runs and 15 stolen bases as a team captain. During the team's championship run in 2015, Lambert batted .400 with 40 hits, 18 RBI, 25 runs and 14 stolen bases. In her freshman season, Lambert posted a .500 batting average with 26 hits, 21 runs, 10 RBI and eight stolen bases.
Lambert has played travelball for the Oro Valley Suncats and the AZ Cats. With the AZ Cats, Lambert played with fellow signee Baez and won the 2016 Colorado Fireworks. The daughter of Danny and Brenda, Lambert has one sister, Gabriela. Maddie WestmorelandMaddie Westmoreland Catcher | Glendale, Ariz. | Sandra Day O'Connor
A four-year starter for Sandra Day O'Connor High School, Maddie Westmoreland has posted a .379 batting average with a .982 fielding percentage as a catcher while leading the team in home runs. She led Division 1 in home runs and RBI as a freshman on her way to being named All-Section and All-State. During her sophomore season, Westmoreland led her team to a State Championship. Off the field, Westmoreland is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society and the President of the Society of Female Scholars.
Westmoreland plays travelball for Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier and finished third in the country in the 2016 PGF Nationals. The daughter of Randy and Pam, she has one sister, Hannah.
