AUBURN, Ala. – On the heels of just the eighth 40-win season in school history, Auburn head softball coach Mickey Dean and his staff reaped the benefit as the Tigers signed seven players to make up an offensively-loaded recruiting class for the 2020 season.
"The class overall is very versatile," Dean said. "There is a lot of championship experience with over half of the class having won a national championship. So, just having that experience and playing for championships and playing at a high level is important and makes for an exciting future."
This year's Auburn softball signing class includes infielders Maia Engelkes, Carlee McCondichie and Maddison "Maddy" Koepke as well as Lindsey Garcia and Madison "Maddie" Majors, who can play infield and outfield positions. In addition, outfielder Jaylin Calvert and right-handed pitcher Kaylyn "KK" Dismukes round out Dean's second recruiting class on The Plains.
- Engelkes, a Sioux Falls, S.D., native, is a true utility infielder that can play both middle and corner positions. She helped the South Dakota Renegades to a second-place finish at the 16U Premier Girls Fastpitch in 2017 and in the top 10 in 2018. Off the field, she's ranked in the top five of her high school senior class and wants to major in Biomedical Sciences.
Coach Dean on Engelkes … "You know, Maia comes from a strong softball background with her travel ball organization. She really jumped out to me a couple of years ago when her 16U team played for the national championship. I've just been watching her ever since. She has power with her bat and agility in the infield, so we are excited."
- McCondichie comes to Auburn from Birmingham, Ala., where she excelled as a hitter and athlete for Gardendale High School and the AL Thunderbolts 16U. She recorded a state-best 105 hits as a freshman then followed with 81 hits during her sophomore season. She struck out only four times as a freshman and has been named a three-time all-state player by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
Coach Dean on McCondichie … "Carlee has really good speed and handles the bat exceptionally well. She's a triple threat — swing away, bunt or slap. She plays second base very well."
- During her time at Mill Creek in Dacula, Ga., Koepke was a two-time all-state selection as well as all-county and all-region honoree. Additionally, she was chosen as a Gwinnett County Super Six selection this year. She was named Scholar Athlete by Georgia Dugout Club three times. Her older sister played softball at Georgia State and her dad played collegiate baseball, too.
Coach Dean on Koepke … "Maddie is a versatile infielder and has really swung the ball well through her high school career. She's made all-conference and all-state, so we are looking for her to make an immediate impact in the middle of our infield."
- Garcia hails from Coral Springs, Fla., where she was a four-time Class 5A Florida High School state champion. She also was named the Broward County Small School Player of the Year. She was an all-state and all-region honoree after hitting .544 for Coral Springs Charter, which finished ranked as the No. 1 ranked team in Florida and No. 5 in the nation last season.
Coach Dean on Garcia … "She has great experience at championship play and really jumped out at us at camp. We got to watch her play over the summer and really liked what we saw."
- Majors prepped at Spain Park High School in Birmingham, Ala., where she helped the Jaguars to a second-place finish in the AHSAA Class 7A state tournament in 2018. She earned ASWA All-State and Super All-State honors after hitting .487 with 53 runs scored, 16 doubles and nine home runs. She was also named to the Alabama Coaches Association North/South All-Star team over the summer. Her mom, Julie, is an Auburn Alumni.
Coach Dean on Majors … "What's interesting with Madison is she had been injured, so I didn't get to see her play, but then got to watch her play at the high school all-star game. She has a really nice swing, a good arm and is versatile. She plays corner infield and outfield. We are excited about her competing."
- From New Palestine, Ind., Calvert set numerous records for the New Palestine Dragons and ranked among the top five around the county in various categories. Calvert and the Dragons won an Indiana State Championship this year. She also participated in track and field.
Coach Dean on Calvert … "Jaylin, over the last year, has shown great potential with her bat. She started out as a slapper but is now swinging for power. She's made some phenomenal plays in the outfield over the past year and we are excited about her getting on campus."
- Dismukes, who also plays volleyball, is the lone pitching signee of the class. She became the first Holtville High softball player to earn all-state honors en route to being named a three-time ASWA All-State player. She was named Elmore County Player of the Year in 2018 after striking out 314 batters and hitting .500 at the plate. She was named a 2017 USA Elite Top 30 All-American and played in the Alabama High School Coaches Association North/South All-Star Game over the summer.
Coach Dean on Dismukes … "KK has really grown over the past year. She started coming to some of our camps and clinics and really started to develop her velocity and movement on her pitches. And so, we've been excited about our growth over the last year since I've been here and just watching her. We are looking forward to getting her here on campus and seeing what she can really do when she's working on pitching every single day and developing her body."
Auburn Softball Brings Versatility, Championship Experience in Latest Signing Class
