With the 2024 Softball Season Approaching Take a Look Into the Newest Spartans Playing at Cyrill Stadium

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Head coach Chris Hawkins and the USC Upstate softball staff have enlisted 13 new Spartans to take Hawkins field in the 2024 season. Here's a quick look into some of the newest Spartans that can be spotted this season at Cyrill Stadium.

Abby Polk – Freshman | Infield | Winder, Ga.

Abby Polk comes to Spartanburg after graduating from Winder Barrow High School. While at Winder Barrow, Polk was a five-year softball player and a three-year basketball player. During her time as a Bulldog, Polk led the team in batting average with a .519 average with 54 at bats, 28 hits, 30 runs, 28 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Along with her .519 batting average, Polk held a .623 on base percentage along with a 1.037 slugging percentage. In the 2022 season, she led the team in homeruns with five swings sent over the fence. Polk received numerous honors including an honorable mention in 2019, Best Defensive Player of the Year in the 2021 season, and First Team All-Region for the 2020, 2021, and 2022 seasons. The Georgia native also received outside recognition as she was named the 2022 Max Preps/NFCA Fall High School Player of the Week as well as the Barrow News Journal Player of the Week all while being an honor student.

On top of all of her high school accomplishments, Polk also played for Atlanta Premier-Polk. While with Atlanta Premier, Polk finished the 2022 spring season with a .459 batting average with 22 hits consisting of 13 singles, four doubles, three triples, and two home runs. She completed the season with 18 RBI, 21 runs, 18 stolen bases, a .970 fielding percentage and 38 put outs.

Carson Bradsher- Freshman | Infield | Cedar Grove, N.C.

Carson Bradsher comes to Spartanburg after graduating from Orange High School. While at Orange High School, Bradsher was a four-year softball player. During her time as a Panther, Bradsher held above a .500 batting average for the 2020 (.569), 2021 (.691), and 2022 (.560) seasons. She finished her time as a Panther with 55 hits in 20 games played. Bradsher received several honors while playing for Orange High School including All-State, All-District, Orange High School Softball MVP, and was the Conference Player of the Year Runner Up. In addition to her time spent playing for Orange High School, Bradsher also played for Bandits Elite Premier-Webster. While with Bandits Elite Premier, Bradsher retained a .300 batting average from 2020 through the 2022 season to help her team win numerous travel competitions.

Emily Stern- Freshman | Infield | Dacula, Ga.

Emily Stern comes to Spartanburg after graduating from Dacula High School. While at Dacula High School, Stern was a four-year softball player. During her time as a Falcon, Stern held a .411 batting average through the 2021 season and a .358 batting average through the 2022 season while also leading the team in hits. Stern earned several honors including All-County, First Team All-Region, and the 2021 Falcon Award. In addition to her efforts on the field, Stern was part of the DLT Club, the FCA, the Delta Club, and was the historian for the NSHS. While playing for the Falcons, Stern also played for AP Gold Bird/Cooper. Stern held a .379 batting average in the 2021-2022 season and was named the Offensive Player of the Year.

Megan Chroniger- Freshman | Outfield | Prince Frederick, Md.

Megan Chroniger comes to Spartanburg after graduating from Calvert High School. While at Calvert High School, Chroniger was a three-year softball player and a three-year volleyball player. During her time as a Cavalier, Chroniger helped her team become Division 2A Maryland State Softball Champions and owned a 1.000 field percentage. Off the field, Chroniger was part of the FCA, Cav Culture Club, and the Divine Feminine Club. In addition to playing for Calvert High School, Chroniger also played for the Gold Coast Hurricanes where she had five homeruns during the USA Softball Gold National Qualifier to help her team go on to place eighth in the USA Softball Gold National Championship.

Grace McKee- Freshman | Outfield | Charlotte, N.C.

Grace McKee comes to Spartanburg after graduating from Ardrey Kell High School. While at Ardry Kell High School, McKee was a three-year softball player. During her 2020 season as a Knight, McKee held a .417 batting average and a 1.000 fielding percentage. Her 2021 season she held a .423 batting average while in her 2022 season, she held a .329 batting average and a .878 fielding percentage. McKee received several honors while playing as a Knight including All-Conference, All-District, and All-State in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons as well as a nomination for the Golden Glove in 2022. In addition to playing for Ardrey Kell High School, McKee played for Team NC Shook.

Lex Difato- Freshman | Outfield | Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Lex Difato comes to Spartanburg after graduating from West Broward High School. While at West Broward High School, Difato was a four-year softball player. During her time as a Bobcat, stole 43 bases, had a .545 batting average, and held a .610 on base percentage to help her team become back-to-back District Champions. In addition to playing for West Broward High School, Difato played for Rock Gold where she had 22 stolen bases, a .444 batting average, and a .531 on base percentage. Difato and the Rock Gold team worked to become PGF National Champions, two-time FI PGF State Champions, and Runner Up for the Triple Crown SE Nationals.

Riley Gibson- Junior | Catcher | Niceville, Fla.

Riley Gibson comes to Spartanburg after transferring from Northwest Florida State College where she spent her freshman and sophomore seasons. While at Northwest State College, Gibson finished her freshman season with five homeruns, 32 RBI, 27 runs, and a .316 batting average along with 13 stolen bases. In her sophomore season, Gibson had 16 homeruns, 44 RBI, 47 runs, and a .300 batting average along with nine stolen bases. Gibson was a two-time All-Conference First Team honoree, a Panhandle Conference Champion and NJCAA National Runner-up playing for the Raiders. Before playing at Northwest Florida State College, Gibson graduated from Niceville High School, where she was a four-year softball player and helped her team become the 2018 State Runner-up while collecting the 2018 Rookie of the Year Award. In her 2019 season she was named the Defensive MVP and in her 2021 season she was named the Offensive MVP. While attending Niceville High School, Gibson also participated in FCA. On top of playing for the Eagles, Gibson played for Alabama Fury.

Abigail Pippen- Sophomore | Catcher | Plainview, La.

Abigail Pippen comes to Spartanburg after transferring from Northwest Florida State College where she spent her freshman season. While at Northwest State College, Pippen held a .383 batting average after 16 homeruns, 65 RBI, and 60 runs with the addition of 17 stolen bases. As a Raider, Rippen was named First Team All-Conference, Panhandle First Team All-Region, and All-Tournament State after helping her team become Panhandle Conference Championship Runner-up and Florida State Tournament World Series Runner-up. Before playing at Northwestern State College, Pippen graduated from Plainview High School where she was a six-year starter for softball after earning her spot on the team in seventh grade. During her time as a Hornet, Pippen collected several State Championships and State Runner-up Awards for several sports including cross country (1x State Champion), basketball (2x State Champion, 2x Runner-up), and softball (3x State Champion, 1x Runner-up). In addition to playing for Plainview High School, Pippen played for the Louisiana Bombers.

Lydia Drake- Junior | Left-Handed Pitcher | Townsend, Del.

Lydia Drake comes to Spartanburg after transferring from Pensacola State College where she spent her freshman and sophomore seasons. While at Pensacola State College, Drake appeared in 52 games, making 45 starts for a combined 285.1 innings pitched. As a Pirate, Drake held a 35-9 record including one save after collecting 301 strikeouts and establishing a 1.86 ERA. In the 2022 season, Drake led the Pirates to become 2022 Panhandle Conference Champions while collecting First Team All-Conference honors. Drake finished her time at Pensacola State College earning First Team All-Conference honors, NFCA Second Team All-American honors, and was named the 2023 All-Panhandle Pitcher of the Year. Before playing at Pensacola State College, Drake graduated from Middletown High School where she was a four-year softball player. While Drake was a Cavalier, she established the school record for strikeouts in a single season with 178 strikeouts. In addition to playing for Middletown High School, Drake also played for the Delaware Cobras.

Kailey Canupp- Freshman | Outfield | Rock Hill, S.C.

Kailey Canupp comes to Spartanburg after graduating from Legion Collegiate Academy. While at Legion Collegiate Academy, Canupp was a four-year softball player. Canupp helped lead the Lancers to become the 2021 State Champions. For her efforts off the field, Canupp was named an All-American Scholar Athlete. In addition to playing for the Lancers, Canupp played for TDB Softball.

Sierra Maness- Freshman | Right-Handed Pitcher | Woodruff, S.C.

Sierra Maness comes to Spartanburg after graduating from James F. Brynes High School. Maness finished her senior year at James F. Brynes High School with a 23-3 record, 151 innings pitched, 275 strikeouts, and an impressive 0.74 ERA. For her work on the field, Maness has racked up several honors including being named the North/South MVP Spartanburg Player of the Year as well as All-State, All-Region, and the Brynes Defensive Player of the Year. Maness was able to not only help her team become State Champion Runner-up but also set the school record for most strikeouts in a single season. Off the field, Maness participated in the Beta Club. In addition to playing for James F. Brynes High School, Maness played for Carolina Mojo.

Faith Wharton – Freshman | Catcher | Punta Gorda, Fla.

Faith Wharton comes to Spartanburg after graduating from Charlotte High School. While at Charlotte High School, Wharton was a four-year softball player and a one-year weightlifter. During her time as a Tarpon, Wharton helped her team become District Champions in 2023 and was named the Defensive MVP. In addition to playing for Charlotte High School, Wharton also played for Rock Gold. While with Rock Gold, Wharton and her team were two-time PFG National Champions.

Ashlyn Brown – Freshman | Right-Handed Pitcher | Seneca, S.C.

Ashlyn Brown comes to Spartanburg after graduating from Seneca High School. While at Seneca High School, Brown was a six-year softball player. As a Bobcat, Brown racked up several honors including two-time All-Region, All-State and Mountain Lakes Player of the Year after helping her team become State Champions in the 2021 season. Off the field, Brown was part of the Emerging Women Club. In addition to playing for Seneca High School, Brown also played for SC Elite Nationals.

Up Next for the Spartans
The Spartans will kick off the 2024 season with the annual Spartan Classic hosted at Cyrill Stadium Feb. 9-11.

Connect with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateSoftball @UpstateSpartans
Instagram | @UpstateSoftball @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans

Players Mentioned

Carson Bradsher

Ashlyn Brown

Kailey Canupp

Megan Chroniger

Lydia Drake

Riley Gibson

Sierra Maness

Grace McKee

Abigail Pippen

Abby Polk

Emily Stern

Faith Wharton

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