SKYHAWK SOFTBALL ADDS THREE TO 2018 SIGNING CLASS
6/20/2018 11:30:00 AM | Softball
MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Tennessee at Martin softball coach Donley Canary has announced the addition of Gabbi Campbell (Brunswick, Ohio), Haylee Short (Hillsboro, Mo.) and Shelby Woodard (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) to the program's 2018 recruiting class.
"This group of four athletes has really upgraded our roster," Canary said. "Several of these players will start, there is no denying that. All of them have the ability to come in and play immediately. It is going to provide tremendous competition for starting positions. Our program is not used to losing and after a disappointing season, we expect these players to come in and help us win."
Gabbi Campbell – INF, 5-9, R/R, Fr., Brunswick, Ohio (Brunswick HS)
Campbell joins the Skyhawks from Brunswick High School where she played for Julie Salzman and was a four-year letterwinner while serving as a team captain for four seasons. She capped off her prep career by posting a .486 batting average with 10 doubles, 12 home runs and 36 RBIs as a senior. She was rewarded for her strong play by being named the 2017 and 2018 Medina Gazette MVP. She also broke county records for home runs with 12 and runs with 52 in a season while also setting the career mark for home runs with 22. Additionally, she set school single-season marks with 104 total bases as a senior while notching career records with 160 hits, 131 runs, 104 RBIs and 275 total bases. She led the area with a .972 slugging percentage while ranking second in OPS (1.531), hits (52) and triples (third).
"Gabby has the capability to play both middle infield and third base," Canary said. "She's an outstanding player, strong hitter, runs well and plays for a top-notch travel ball team. We expect her to come in and help the program immediately."
Haylee Short – OF, 5-6, L/R, Jr., Hillsboro, Mo. (Lake Land CC)
Short joins the Skyhawks from Lake Land Community College where she played for Nic Nelson, helping the team to qualify for back-to-back national championship tournament appearance – including a fourth place national finish in 2017. She appeared in 60 games as a sophomore, posting a .423 batting average with nine doubles, five triples, six home runs and 40 RBIs along with 20 stolen bases. She tallied 26 multi-hit outings along with 10 multi-RBI contests. Her best series came against Southeastern Illinois where she went 6-for-8 with a home run and seven RBIs. She was honored by the NFCA as a second-team all-american as a freshman along with a pair of all-region honors – first team as a sophomore and second team as a freshman. She was also named to the NJCAA Division I Region 24 All-Tournament team twice along with a pair of All-Region 24 honors. She notched a .411 batting average with 20 doubles, five triples, two home runs and 61 RBIs along with 22 stolen bases. She prepped at Hillsboro High School where she was an all-conference performer. As a senior she posted a .402 batting average with 34 runs scored and nine stolen bases.
"Haylee is dynamite in a package," Canary said. "She's very outgoing, personable and high-energy. I'm really looking forward to coaching her. I think she will help energize our team and we will plug her into both right field and various different spots in our batting order. As a NFCA All-American, we are excited to see how she comes in, gets on base and helps spark our team."
Shelby Woodard – INF, 6-0, R/R, Jr., Mt. Juliet, Tenn. (North Alabama)
Woodard joins the Skyhawks from North Alabama where she spent three seasons, playing for Ashley Cozart. For her career with the Lions she appeared in 117 games, posting a .346 batting average with 11 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs and 63 RBIs. During her junior campaign, she posted a .328 batting average with three doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs while earning 24 starts. As a sophomore she played and started in 51 games, leading the team with a .369 batting average while earning first team All-South Region honors by D2CCA and the NFCA. Also picking up All-Gulf South Conference second team honors, she led her squad with nine home runs, 32 RBIs, a .451 on-base percentage and .597 slugging percentage. She posted an on-base streak of 13 games while adding 15 multi-hit and nine multi-RBI contests. During her freshman season she notched a .302 batting average, five home runs and 17 RBIs. She prepped at Wilson Central High School, winning a 2015 AAA state championship after posting a .400 batting average with 18 doubles, six home runs and 32 RBIs as a senior.
"What goes around comes around because Shelby was a player that we tried to recruit four years ago," Canary said. "She is a strong hitter that we look to as a middle of the order bat as a right-handed power hitter. She can drive in runs and that's what she's here for."
The trio joins a decorated 2018 signing class which features Erin Gallagher (Suwanee, Ga.), Kenna Garst (Petersburg, Mich.), Chelsey Gore (Lexington, Tenn.), Georgia Land (Ethridge, Tenn.), Kallie Pickens (Jackson, Tenn.), Alexis Ray (Louisville, Ky.) and Chayse Skinner (Spring Hill, Fla.).
"This group of four athletes has really upgraded our roster," Canary said. "Several of these players will start, there is no denying that. All of them have the ability to come in and play immediately. It is going to provide tremendous competition for starting positions. Our program is not used to losing and after a disappointing season, we expect these players to come in and help us win."
Gabbi Campbell – INF, 5-9, R/R, Fr., Brunswick, Ohio (Brunswick HS)
Campbell joins the Skyhawks from Brunswick High School where she played for Julie Salzman and was a four-year letterwinner while serving as a team captain for four seasons. She capped off her prep career by posting a .486 batting average with 10 doubles, 12 home runs and 36 RBIs as a senior. She was rewarded for her strong play by being named the 2017 and 2018 Medina Gazette MVP. She also broke county records for home runs with 12 and runs with 52 in a season while also setting the career mark for home runs with 22. Additionally, she set school single-season marks with 104 total bases as a senior while notching career records with 160 hits, 131 runs, 104 RBIs and 275 total bases. She led the area with a .972 slugging percentage while ranking second in OPS (1.531), hits (52) and triples (third).
"Gabby has the capability to play both middle infield and third base," Canary said. "She's an outstanding player, strong hitter, runs well and plays for a top-notch travel ball team. We expect her to come in and help the program immediately."
Haylee Short – OF, 5-6, L/R, Jr., Hillsboro, Mo. (Lake Land CC)
Short joins the Skyhawks from Lake Land Community College where she played for Nic Nelson, helping the team to qualify for back-to-back national championship tournament appearance – including a fourth place national finish in 2017. She appeared in 60 games as a sophomore, posting a .423 batting average with nine doubles, five triples, six home runs and 40 RBIs along with 20 stolen bases. She tallied 26 multi-hit outings along with 10 multi-RBI contests. Her best series came against Southeastern Illinois where she went 6-for-8 with a home run and seven RBIs. She was honored by the NFCA as a second-team all-american as a freshman along with a pair of all-region honors – first team as a sophomore and second team as a freshman. She was also named to the NJCAA Division I Region 24 All-Tournament team twice along with a pair of All-Region 24 honors. She notched a .411 batting average with 20 doubles, five triples, two home runs and 61 RBIs along with 22 stolen bases. She prepped at Hillsboro High School where she was an all-conference performer. As a senior she posted a .402 batting average with 34 runs scored and nine stolen bases.
"Haylee is dynamite in a package," Canary said. "She's very outgoing, personable and high-energy. I'm really looking forward to coaching her. I think she will help energize our team and we will plug her into both right field and various different spots in our batting order. As a NFCA All-American, we are excited to see how she comes in, gets on base and helps spark our team."
Shelby Woodard – INF, 6-0, R/R, Jr., Mt. Juliet, Tenn. (North Alabama)
Woodard joins the Skyhawks from North Alabama where she spent three seasons, playing for Ashley Cozart. For her career with the Lions she appeared in 117 games, posting a .346 batting average with 11 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs and 63 RBIs. During her junior campaign, she posted a .328 batting average with three doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs while earning 24 starts. As a sophomore she played and started in 51 games, leading the team with a .369 batting average while earning first team All-South Region honors by D2CCA and the NFCA. Also picking up All-Gulf South Conference second team honors, she led her squad with nine home runs, 32 RBIs, a .451 on-base percentage and .597 slugging percentage. She posted an on-base streak of 13 games while adding 15 multi-hit and nine multi-RBI contests. During her freshman season she notched a .302 batting average, five home runs and 17 RBIs. She prepped at Wilson Central High School, winning a 2015 AAA state championship after posting a .400 batting average with 18 doubles, six home runs and 32 RBIs as a senior.
"What goes around comes around because Shelby was a player that we tried to recruit four years ago," Canary said. "She is a strong hitter that we look to as a middle of the order bat as a right-handed power hitter. She can drive in runs and that's what she's here for."
The trio joins a decorated 2018 signing class which features Erin Gallagher (Suwanee, Ga.), Kenna Garst (Petersburg, Mich.), Chelsey Gore (Lexington, Tenn.), Georgia Land (Ethridge, Tenn.), Kallie Pickens (Jackson, Tenn.), Alexis Ray (Louisville, Ky.) and Chayse Skinner (Spring Hill, Fla.).
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