A Deep and Talented Group, Softball Announces its 11 Member Signing Class

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – As the calendar draws nearer to the start of the 2022 season, USC Upstate softball and head coach Chris Hawkins has announced its latest signing class, welcoming 11 players to the Spartan program for the 2023 season.

Making up the signing class are Ashley Allinger (Sandy, Ore.), Bari Arden Arant (St. Matthews, S.C.), Mallory Clark (Bethlehem, Ga.), Maddie Drerup (Fort Mill, S.C.), Micaela Hartman (Venice, Fla.), Katie Henri (Lexington, S.C.), Amie Johnson (Batesburg, S.C.), Morgan Langley (Rock Hill, S.C.), Carson Shaw (Summerville, S.C.), Taliyah Thomas (Iron Station, N.C.), and Kamila Vicente (Brunswick, Ga.).

"This recruiting class provides power, speed, and depth with a big punch in the pitching department," said head coach Chris Hawkins. "We are very fortunate to have these fine student-athletes joining our program. Big pieces to the puzzle!"

Allinger joins Upstate from Sandy (Ore.) High School where she earned First Team All-Mt. Hood Conference honors after posting a .456 batting average, .508 on-base percentage, and .684 slugging percentage as a junior in 2021. Competing for Red Heat Fastpitch, she posted a slash-line (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) of .380/.380/.453 this past summer.

A standout for the Pioneer softball program, Allinger also competed in soccer and basketball at SHS, earning Honorable Mention All-Mt. Hood Conference honors in 2021. Off the field, she serves as the SHS student body president while being a member of the National Honor Society, Health Occupational Students of America, and Key Club.

Arant competed at Calhoun Academy, helping lead the Cavaliers to the 2021 South Carolina Independent Schools Association Class 2A Region II championship, earning SCISA Class 2A Region II All-State honors en route to the championship. Her All-State honors in softball marked her second of her junior campaign as she also claimed the honors in basketball.

Off the field, Arant serves as the Calhoun Academy student body president and is a member of the academy's Interact Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, student council, and National Honor Society.

Competing for Archer High School, Clark helped the Tigers to a pair of Georgia High School Association 7A Region 7 championships over the past two seasons, earning First Team All-Region honors in 2021. She hit .294 for AHS during her junior season, improving her batting average to .545 in region play before capping the season with a .750 batting average in the postseason.

Clark also competes for the EC Bullets, helping the organization to the Inaugural Alliance National Championship in 2021, slashing .325/.361/.404 over the spring and summer season. At nationals, she hit .323 to lead her team to a championship, driving in eight runs while slugging .361.

A South Carolina High School League All-State and All-Region performer in 2021, Drerup led Fort Mill High School to an SCHSL Region 3 and Upper District 1 championship as a junior. In the circle, she racked up 145 strikeouts average as a junior while recording a .438 batting average at the plate.

During the fall season for the LLG-Pedy, Drerup collected 41 strikeouts against just three walks in 22.0 innings as she totaled a 13.7 strikeout to walk ratio while posting a .0.63 ERA. She also featured at the plate for the TC Rockets, hitting .483.

Hartman joins the Upstate program from Venice (Fla.) High School, helping the Indians to 32 wins over the past two seasons, including 24 during her junior season in 2021. In her career, she's hit .400, collecting 46 hits, including seven doubles, a triple, and four homers while driving in 30 runs and scoring 39 more.

In the circle, Hartman posted a 5-1 record over 24 total appearances, recording 31 punchouts, and four saves.

Henri, hailing from Pelion High School helped the Panthers to a 15-3-1 record, including a perfect 8-0 record in South Carolina High School League Class 2A Region 5 play as a junior in 2021. She posted an impressive slash line of .615/.701/1.288 during her junior season, collecting 32 hits, seven doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 30 runs, and 31 runs batted in.

A two-sport student-athlete at PHS—also competing in basketball—Henri is a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, and Link Crew.

A South Carolina High School League Class 2A Region 3 Player of the Year, three-time All-Region, and two-time All-State selection, Johnson joins Upstate from Batesburg-Leesville High School. In travel ball, she competes for the Carolina Elite SC organization.

Also competing in volleyball at BLHS, Johnson serves as the Vice President of the school's Beta Club and student body while also being a member of the school's student council and Spanish Honor Society.

Langley joins Upstate from Legion Collegiate Academy where she led the Lancers to a South Carolina High School League Class 2A and Region 4 championship in 2021, earning All-Region and National Fastpitch Coaches Association Second Team honors as a junior. En route to her postseason honors, she hit .440 and slugged .714 while hitting five homers, driving home 42 RBI, and swiping 23 steals. Off the field, she's a member of the National Honor Society and the Beta Club.

Competing for Team NC during the fall 2021 slate, she's hit .516 with an on-base percentage of .545 and slugging .677.

Shaw, her school's single-season home run leader, joins the Spartan program from Summerville High School where she earned South Carolina High School League All-State and All-Region honors in 2021. For her career, she's hit .503 with 25 homers and 124 runs batted in while adding 75 runs and 32 walks.

Outside of interscholastic competition, she is a member of SHS's Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the National Honor Society while competing for the South Carolina Elite organization.

A North Carolina High School Athletic Association All-State and All-Region selection, Thomas led East Lincoln High School to a 16-2 record, including a 13-1 mark in South Fork 2A play. As a junior, she hit .550 with 33 hits, four doubles, six triples, and five home runs while tallying 19 runs batted in and 19 stolen bases in 2021.

For her career, she's posted a .426/.491/.737 slash line while totaling 60 hits, 61 runs, 31 runs batted in, 12 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, and 44 stolen bases. Outside of interscholastic competition, she competes for Team NC.

Vicente, a member of the Puerto Rican National Softball team, comes to Upstate from Glynn Academy where she earned Georgia High School Association 6A Region II All-Region honors for the Terrors. Over 122.1 innings, she totaled 179 strikeouts, posting 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.50 earned run average.

Outside of Glynn Academy and the Puerto Rican National Softball team, she competes for Southern Power.

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