AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn head softball coach Mickey Dean and his staff reaped the benefits of heavy recruiting efforts as the Tigers signed eight student-athletes loaded in championship experience to round out one of the top recruiting classes in the country.
"We are excited about our 2020 class," Dean said. "It is loaded with speed, power, versatility and strong pitching. They have each played at a high level of softball and won several championships. We look forward to their arrival and bright future at Auburn."
This year's softball signing class features infielder Denver Bryant as well as Sydney Cox and Makayla Packer, who both can play the middle infield and in the outfield. Rounding out the class is outfielders Reena Falisi, Paige Geraghty and Kelsey Schmidt and pitchers Shelby Lowe and Madison Penta.
DENVER BRYANT
Hometown: Albany, Ga.
High School: Dougherty
Club: MOJO-Lewis
Position: Infielder
Height: 5-7
HIGHLIGHTS: Recently made the switch to softball after playing baseball for the majority of her prep career … One of the youngest members on the United States Women's National Baseball Team, joining the development program in the summer of 2017… Competing in her first full season of softball, led the state of Georgia's Class 4A with a .759 average at the plate … Knocked 11 home runs to help tally a 1.834 slugging clip … Speedy on the base paths with 35 stolen bases … Rounded out senior campaign with a .824 on-base percentage … Tabbed to the All-Region First Team.
DEAN ON BRYANT: "She's one of the most explosive players that I have seen in a while. She has a strong arm, great hands and a powerful bat."
SYDNEY COX
Hometown: Asheboro, N.C.
High School: Asheboro
Club: Carolina Cardinals
Position: INF / OF
Height: 5-3
HIGHLIGHTS: Served as team captain for Asheboro High School since her freshman season … Three-time All-Conference, All-County and All-District honoree … Brought home All-State honors in 2018 and 2019 … Listed as one of the top 100 recruits of the 2020 signing class by ExtraInning Softball and Flo Softball … Coming off an impressive junior campaign, recording a .665 average at the plate … Added a .730 on-base percentage and a 1.155 slugging clip … Competes for the Carolina Cardinals club team … Led the Cardinals to the 2017 and 2018 USA Fast Pitch Girls A18-U National Championship … Wrapped up her latest club season with a .434 batting average … Totaled 18 doubles, six triples and 11 home runs … Recorded 39 RBI and scored a staggering 73 runs … Ended the 2019 club season with a .576 on-base percentage and a .814 slugging mark.
DEAN ON COX: "She's a versatile athlete that plays middle infield. It has been exciting to watch her add power to her bat, swinging from the left side."
REENA FALISI
Hometown: Williston, Fla.
High School: Oak Hall
Club: Alabama Sparks Elite Stewart
Position: OF
Height: 5-0
HIGHLIGHTS: Competed exclusive with Alabama Sparks Elite … Led the program to the USA Softball 18U National Championship … Led her club squad to a top-five finish at PGF 18U Nationals … Turned in top-16 finishes at ASA 14U Nationals, ASA 16U Nationals and JO 16U Cup … In her first season competing with the Sparks, recorded a .417 batting average and a .547 on-base percentage … Followed that performance with a .396 average at the plate with a .518 on-base clip … Last season, tallied a .407 average coupled with a .532 on-base percentage … In the midst of an impressive fall campaign with the Sparks, holding a .482 average and a .592 on-base mark.
DEAN ON FALISI: "Reena is an athletic outfielder with very good speed. She is a triple threat from the left side."
PAIGE GERAGHTY
Hometown: Frankfort, Ill.
High School: Lincolnway East
Club: Beverly Bandits
Position: OF
Height: 5-7
HIGHLIGHTS: One of the top recruits of the 2020 class with a No. 21 ranking by Extra Inning Softball … Turned in a batting average of over .450 in all four seasons of varsity competition at Lincolnway East, including a staggering .596 batting average over her senior campaign … Helped Lincolnway East to a second-place finish at state competition … Two-time All-Conference honoree … Turned in an All-Area and All-State performance during her junior season … Earned All-Tournament Team accolades at PGF Nationals, helping her club program win the 16U National Qualifier.
DEAN ON GERAGHTY: "Paige has excellent speed in the outfield. She is also a tremendous offensive threat with her bat combined with her speed."
Hometown: Carrollton, Ala.
High School: Pickens Academy
Club: Birmingham Thunderbolts
Position: P
Height: 5-9
HIGHLIGHTS: One of the top pitchers from the state of Alabama … Named to the 2019 AL.com Super All-State Softball Team … Led the state with a 15.7 strikeouts per seven innings mark … Ended junior campaign with a .14 earned run average and a 19-4 record … Totaled 336 strikeouts, 16 shutouts and six no-hitters … Allowed only three earned runs over 150 innings pitched … 2018 AISA Pitcher of the Year … First Team All-State honoree … 2019 Tuscaloosa News Super 9 Softball Team … Led Pickens Academy to a Class AA runner-up finish … Went 20-4-1 in the circle behind a 0.63 ERA … Tallied 13 shutouts, including six no-hitters and two perfect games … Struck out 347 batters over 166.2 innings pitched … Competed for the Birmingham Thunderbolts, helping the club to a No. 1 ranking … Tossed a two-hit complete game with seven strikeouts to lead the Thunderbolts to a 4-1 victory in the PGF 16u Premier National title game … It was the first PGF National Championship for the Thunderbolts organization … Named to the PGF 18U Premier All-Tournament Team.
DEAN ON LOWE: "Shelby is one of the top pitchers in the country. She has a championship pedigree. I'm especially excited that she is from the state of Alabama.
Hometown: Chattanooga, Tenn.
High School: Baylor School
Club: Tennessee Impact
Position: UTL
Height: 5-8
HIGHLIGHTS: Versatile athlete that has won multiple state championships in both softball and track … Led the Baylor School to three straight TSAA Division II AA Softball State Championships … Held a .461 average at the plate as a freshman behind 35 hits … Slugged eight home runs to help close the season with a .961 slugging clip … Tallied 39 RBI and scored 37 runs over her debut season … Drew 13 walks and held a .567 on-base percentage as a freshman … Closed the season with 13 stolen bases … Totaled 23 hits, including six homers, as a sophomore … Drove in 25 runs while also scoring 25 runs of her own … Closed her sophomore season with a .615 slugging and a .404 on-base clips … Coming off an impressive junior campaign with a career-high .444 batting average … Totaled 32 hits, 40 runs scored, and 20 RBI … Slugged at a .722 mark with help of four home runs … Drew a career-high 15 walks to close the 2019 season with a .598 on-base percentage.
DEAN ON PACKER: "Makayla has great speed and is very versatile with the ability to play both the middle infield and the outfield."
MADISON PENTA
Hometown: Chesapeake City, Md.
High School: Bohemia Manor
Club: PA Chaos
Position: P
Height: 6-2
HIGHLIGHTS: One of the top pitchers in the country … Ranked the No. 2 recruit of the 2020 class by FloSoftball and the No. 3 recruit by ExtraInnings Softball … Carried Bohemia Manor to three straight 1A State Championships behind her lights-out pitching … Three-time All-County and All-State honoree … 2019 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year … 2019 USA Today First Team High School All-American … Tossed 100.2 innings in the circle as a freshman and did not allow a single earned run … Closed her debut season with a 13-1 record and a .417 WHIP … Posted an undefeated 15-0 record as sophomore behind a .07 earned run average … Tossed a total of 97.1 innings and posted a .318 WHIP … At the plate, recorded a .441 batting average and a .662 slugging mark … Tossed 123.0 innings over her junior campaign, posting a 21-0 record … Turned in a .11 ERA and a .439 WHIP … Totaled 299 strikeouts, recorded three no-hitters during Bohemia Manor's postseason run and allowed just 16 hits … Coupled her pitching performance with a .586 batting average and a 1.143 slugging clip … Totaled nine home runs, 34 RBI and 25 runs scored … Competes with PA Chaos, one of the elite club teams in the country … Chaos was ranked ninth in the country last season … Led the Chaos to the SoCal Invitational Championship and the Triple Crown Championship … Earned PGF All-Tournament Team honors earlier this year after helping the Chaos to a 12th-place finish … Last season in club competition, finished with a 25-1 record, 0.52 ERA and a .755 WHIP behind 147.0 innings pitched.
DEAN ON PENTA: "Madison is one of the top power pitchers in the country. She has a championship pedigree. Madison has competed and won championships at the highest levels of the game."
KELSEY SCHMIDT
Hometown: Maineville, Ohio
High School: Little Miami
Club: Beverly Bandits
Position: OF
Height: 5-6
HIGHLIGHTS: A slugger at the plate that has recorded double-digit home runs over all three of her varsity seasons … Totaled 33 career homers, knocking 13 alone over her junior season … Led Little Miami to the 2019 Sectional Championship … Two-time ECC First Team All-Conference selection … Back-to-back Player of the Year honoree … 2018 Most Valuable Player winner … Twice named to the All-State Second Team … 2019 SWOC First Team All-Conference honoree … Also brought home First Team All-Region and Southwest All-District Team honors.
DEAN ON SCHMIDT: "She's an athletic player with great range in the outfield, strong arm and hits with power."