UT Martin softball coach Brian Dunn announced his inaugural recruiting class Tuesday, with five of the six signees signing their National Letters of Intent from the local area.
“I am excited about the athleticism and high level of experience that these young ladies will bring to our program,” Dunn said. “This group of talented players will help bring greater depth and competitiveness to many of our positions. The combined success of this class in both high school and travel ball should translate well as we work to climb to the top of the OVC.”
Anna Blanton, OF, Chapel Hill, Tenn. (Forrest HS)
Blanton joins the Skyhawks from Forrest High School where she plays for head coach Shelby Stinnett. Last season she played in all 42 games for the Lady Rockets, tallying a .344 batting average and .389 on-base percentage, leading the team to their third state title with a 37-5 record. She scored 46 runs while tallying 17 RBIs and swiping 30 bases.
Emily Brown, P, Paris, Tenn. (Henry County HS)
Brown joins the Skyhawks from Henry County High School where she plays for head coach Renae Lassiter. As a junior she appeared in 22 games, posting a 13-7 record and 2.15 ERA in 123.1 innings of work. For her career, she ranks second in innings pitched with 444.1 while sitting first with 58 victories. As a batter, she posted a .286 batting average with four home runs and 18 RBIs as a junior. She has also garnered several all-district and all-tournament honors while leading her squad to the state tournament twice.
Bryleigh Carneal, INF, Medina, Tenn. (South Gibson HS)
Carneal joins the Skyhawks from South Gibson High School where she plays for head coach Baron Jimmerson. She was named a Division II-A West all-region player as a junior when she played at USJ for current Skyhawk head coach Brian Dunn. She posted a .581 batting average with seven doubles, three triples, 20 RBIs and 23 stolen bases en route to being named to the 2019 All-West Tennessee softball team and all-state honors.
Kaci Fuller, UTIL, Huntingdon (Huntingdon HS)
Fuller joins the Skyhawks from Huntingdon High School where she plays for head coach Jay Lowery. As a junior she hit .637 with nine doubles, 12 triples and six home runs while driving in 28 runs en route to being named to the 2019 All-West Tennessee softball team and all-state honors. She posted a .505 batting average as a sophomore with six home runs and 44 RBIs.
Gracie Lusk, UTIL, Clinton, Ky. (Hickman County HS)
Lusk joins the Skyhawks from Hickman County High School where she plays for head coach Lisa Britton. As a unanimous selection to the All-Purchase softball team, she posted a .447 batting average with 10 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs and 39 RBIs. During her sophomore season, she posted a .553 batting average with 12 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 25 RBIs. A four-time All-Purchase softball player since eighth grade, she has posted batting averages of .427, .525, .553 and .447 as a prep player.
Macey Neal, UTIL, Dyer, Tenn. (Gibson County HS)
Neal joins the Skyhawks from Gibson County High School where she plays for head coach Chris Lownsdale. She posted a .500 batting average as a junior while the speedster tallied 25 stolen bases en route to all-state honors. Neal has rewritten the program’s record books, setting new benchmarks in hits, runs scored and stolen bases among others while being named to several all-state squads.
UT Martin officially opens the 2020 season February 28 at the Southeastern Louisiana Lion Classic.
