Photo by: Trevor Birchett/MSU Athletics
Ricketts Secures First Signing Class
November 14, 2019 | Softball
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State head softball coach Samantha Ricketts secured a decorated signing class on Wednesday afternoon, adding two pitchers and an infielder from three different states.
Taylor Middlebrook (INF), Addison Purvis (P/1B) and Kylie Taylor (P) will head to Starkville in the fall of 2020.
"We are excited to add these three talented athletes to our program," Ricketts said. "They are all high-caliber softball players as well as quality young women. I expect Taylor, Kylie, and Addison to fit right in to our culture and contribute on both sides of the field immediately.
"Taylor is a pure athlete that can play just about every position on the field. Kylie and Addison will add depth to our bullpen as well as compete for time at first base and in the batting order."
Middlebrook is the top-ranked prospect in the class, checking in at No. 97 in the FloSoftball Hot 100. The Douglasville, Georgia, native is the No. 42 prospect overall and the No. 30 infielder according to Extra Inning Softball.
She played her freshman and sophomore seasons at Chapel Hill High School where her team was ranked as high as 42nd nationally and finished fourth in the state her freshman year. Middlebrook then moved to Alexander High School for her junior and senior seasons. She has earned all-state honors three times and was named all-county and all-region four times.
Purvis, out of Sullivan, Missouri, was named FCR Player of the Year as a sophomore, junior and senior. She earned first team all-state, all-conference, all-region and all-district honors in every year of her high school career, and was named All-Area Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018.
She took home All-Metro Pitcher of the Year honors in 2018 and was also named MaxPreps.com National Player of the Week. On the travel ball circuit, she won the 2017 USSSA National Championship.
Taylor rounds out the class with impressive numbers both at the plate and in the circle. In her three years at Ocean Springs High School, Taylor struck out 398 batters and posted two seasons with a batting average above .500. She earned team MVP honors as a freshman and sophomore and won the team's offensive award as a junior.
The Lucedale, Mississippi, native moved to George County High School for her senior year. Her travel team won the 16U Premier PGF National Championship and the 16U Colorado Sparkler Championship in 2018.
"All three are extremely competitive and understand the blue-collar mentality it takes to be a Bulldog," Ricketts added. "I appreciate their loyalty to Mississippi State and our program, and I can't wait to get them on campus in the Maroon and White."
Ricketts was elevated to head coach on July 25 after serving as an assistant and associate head coach in Starkville since 2015. The Bulldogs have made an NCAA Regional in all but one of her seasons on staff. State's schedule for her first season at the helm will be released in the coming weeks.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State head softball coach Samantha Ricketts secured a decorated signing class on Wednesday afternoon, adding two pitchers and an infielder from three different states.
Taylor Middlebrook (INF), Addison Purvis (P/1B) and Kylie Taylor (P) will head to Starkville in the fall of 2020.
"We are excited to add these three talented athletes to our program," Ricketts said. "They are all high-caliber softball players as well as quality young women. I expect Taylor, Kylie, and Addison to fit right in to our culture and contribute on both sides of the field immediately.
"Taylor is a pure athlete that can play just about every position on the field. Kylie and Addison will add depth to our bullpen as well as compete for time at first base and in the batting order."
Middlebrook is the top-ranked prospect in the class, checking in at No. 97 in the FloSoftball Hot 100. The Douglasville, Georgia, native is the No. 42 prospect overall and the No. 30 infielder according to Extra Inning Softball.
She played her freshman and sophomore seasons at Chapel Hill High School where her team was ranked as high as 42nd nationally and finished fourth in the state her freshman year. Middlebrook then moved to Alexander High School for her junior and senior seasons. She has earned all-state honors three times and was named all-county and all-region four times.
Welcome to the family, @taeeduh!
— Mississippi State Softball 🥎 (@HailStateSB) November 13, 2019
The No. 30 infielder according to Extra Inning Softball is headed to Starkville!
📰: https://t.co/7UvFFP4tf4#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/rHKfBYeYr8
Purvis, out of Sullivan, Missouri, was named FCR Player of the Year as a sophomore, junior and senior. She earned first team all-state, all-conference, all-region and all-district honors in every year of her high school career, and was named All-Area Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018.
She took home All-Metro Pitcher of the Year honors in 2018 and was also named MaxPreps.com National Player of the Week. On the travel ball circuit, she won the 2017 USSSA National Championship.
After winning the USSSA National Championship with her club team, @addisofball00 is headed to Starkville!
— Mississippi State Softball 🥎 (@HailStateSB) November 13, 2019
Addison is a four-time first team all-state, all-conference, all-region and all-district selection!
📰: https://t.co/iol0tx1R08#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/I4hd3qPWzS
Taylor rounds out the class with impressive numbers both at the plate and in the circle. In her three years at Ocean Springs High School, Taylor struck out 398 batters and posted two seasons with a batting average above .500. She earned team MVP honors as a freshman and sophomore and won the team's offensive award as a junior.
The Lucedale, Mississippi, native moved to George County High School for her senior year. Her travel team won the 16U Premier PGF National Championship and the 16U Colorado Sparkler Championship in 2018.
She averaged 133 strikeouts per season in her first three years of high school. Now @KylieTaylor55 is officially a Bulldog!
— Mississippi State Softball 🥎 (@HailStateSB) November 13, 2019
📰: https://t.co/9pJ2uCqXsc#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/TKhDAFUpsr
"All three are extremely competitive and understand the blue-collar mentality it takes to be a Bulldog," Ricketts added. "I appreciate their loyalty to Mississippi State and our program, and I can't wait to get them on campus in the Maroon and White."
Ricketts was elevated to head coach on July 25 after serving as an assistant and associate head coach in Starkville since 2015. The Bulldogs have made an NCAA Regional in all but one of her seasons on staff. State's schedule for her first season at the helm will be released in the coming weeks.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
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