Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Ricketts Adds Five On National Signing Day
November 11, 2020 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Head softball coach Samantha Ricketts has secured her second signing class at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs added five student-athletes on Wednesday in a class ranked No. 26 by Extra Innings Softball.
MSU will welcome a pitcher, catcher, two infielders and an outfielder next season. All were among the top 100 in the class at their respective positions, and all but one were among the top 100 recruits in the nation.
"We are excited to officially welcome these five young women into the Bulldog softball family," Ricketts said. "This class will bring a combination of power, speed and athleticism to our roster from the first day they arrive on campus next fall. They are all competitive, driven players who will add to the character and team dynamic of our program."
The full class can be found below.
Bower was named a First Team High School All-American by two outlets in 2019 and was an NFCA Second Team All-Region selection the same year. She set a Huntley school record with 353 strikeouts as a sophomore, which ranked ninth nationally. That season she threw 12 shutouts, four no-hitters and two perfect games along with 20 games of 10 or more strikeouts.
Carter led Lassiter to the 6A State Championship in 2020 and has been named Scholar-Athlete of the Year in every season. In 2018 and 2019, she was an All-State selection and earned Offensive Player of the Year honors. In her final season, she batted .370 with 23 RBI and six home runs.
Daniel is a two-time First Team All-District performer and was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 and District MVP in 2020. As a junior, she hit. 657 with nine home runs. On the travel ball circuit, she was named to the PGF Nationals All-Tournament Team in 2018 after posting a .511 batting average for her club.
Hull won Kentucky's Gatorade Player of the Year honor in 2020 and was set to enter her junior year as the No. 1 player in the state according to MaxPreps before the season was cancelled. She was an All-State performer in 2019, batting .589 with a .953 slugging percentage, and she won the Johnny Bench Award as the best catcher in the state. Her travel ball team won the USA Softball Junior Olympic Cup twice.
Pulemau led her team to the 2018 Marine League Championship while earning First Team All-League and Rookie of the Year honors. She turned in a .463 slugging percentage that year, then followed it with a .777 slugging mark the next season. Her junior season was cancelled, but she was named a team captain. Pulemau played travel ball with the SoCal Athletics Briggs where she was also team captain.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
MSU will welcome a pitcher, catcher, two infielders and an outfielder next season. All were among the top 100 in the class at their respective positions, and all but one were among the top 100 recruits in the nation.
"We are excited to officially welcome these five young women into the Bulldog softball family," Ricketts said. "This class will bring a combination of power, speed and athleticism to our roster from the first day they arrive on campus next fall. They are all competitive, driven players who will add to the character and team dynamic of our program."
The full class can be found below.
Bri Bower, P | Lake in the Hills, Ill. (Huntley HS)
Extra Innings Softball Rankings: Overall – 33, Position – 18Bower was named a First Team High School All-American by two outlets in 2019 and was an NFCA Second Team All-Region selection the same year. She set a Huntley school record with 353 strikeouts as a sophomore, which ranked ninth nationally. That season she threw 12 shutouts, four no-hitters and two perfect games along with 20 games of 10 or more strikeouts.
Sydney Carter, INF/P | Marietta, Ga. (Lassiter HS)
Extra Innings Softball Rankings: Overall – 104, Position – 82Carter led Lassiter to the 6A State Championship in 2020 and has been named Scholar-Athlete of the Year in every season. In 2018 and 2019, she was an All-State selection and earned Offensive Player of the Year honors. In her final season, she batted .370 with 23 RBI and six home runs.
Saleyna Daniel, OF | Houston, Texas (Stratford HS)
Extra Innings Softball Rankings: Overall – 71, Position – 33Daniel is a two-time First Team All-District performer and was named Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 and District MVP in 2020. As a junior, she hit. 657 with nine home runs. On the travel ball circuit, she was named to the PGF Nationals All-Tournament Team in 2018 after posting a .511 batting average for her club.
Riley Hull, C | Somerset, Ky. (Pulaski County HS)
Extra Innings Softball Rankings: Overall – 38, Position – 19Hull won Kentucky's Gatorade Player of the Year honor in 2020 and was set to enter her junior year as the No. 1 player in the state according to MaxPreps before the season was cancelled. She was an All-State performer in 2019, batting .589 with a .953 slugging percentage, and she won the Johnny Bench Award as the best catcher in the state. Her travel ball team won the USA Softball Junior Olympic Cup twice.
Leilani Pulemau, INF | Gardena, Calif. (Carson HS)
Extra Innings Softball Rankings: Overall – 64, Position – 50 Pulemau led her team to the 2018 Marine League Championship while earning First Team All-League and Rookie of the Year honors. She turned in a .463 slugging percentage that year, then followed it with a .777 slugging mark the next season. Her junior season was cancelled, but she was named a team captain. Pulemau played travel ball with the SoCal Athletics Briggs where she was also team captain.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference vs Texas (WCWS) 5/29/26
Friday, May 29
SOFTBALL | Postgame Press Conference at Oklahoma (NCAAT) 5/28/26
Thursday, May 28
SOFTBALL | Women's College World Series Media Day Press Conference
Wednesday, May 27
SOFTBALL | Super Regional at Oklahoma Game 3 Highlights - 5/24/26
Sunday, May 24