Top 10 Middle Infielder Joins Bulldogs
December 01, 2021 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Nadia Barbary, the nation's No. 10 middle infielder out of Douglasville, Georgia, signed with Mississippi State earlier this month as part of the Bulldogs' 2022 recruiting class.
"It's only appropriate that we kick off this signing class with Nadia," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We have been waiting for her arrival in Starkville for a long time. She was the first commit in this class and has been an outstanding all-around athlete from a young age. She plays with the same grace and smooth glove and footwork that former Bulldog great Kayla Winkfield played with at the shortstop position. That along with her consistent bat will make her an impact player for years to come."
Barbary started for four years at Chapel Hill High School, where she competed in the fall season. After winning a regional championship in her freshman season, she was named the Region 5 Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2019. She was named first team all-state in 2020 and was nominated to play in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Associate All-Star Game in the summer of 2021.
"Nadia is a very gifted infielder with a tremendous glove, strong arm and the range to make difficult plays look routine," assistant coach Tyler Bratton said. "Her upside is through the roof, and we have been excited about having her ever since the day she committed to us several years back. She has very good pop offensively and can change the outcome of the game with one swing of the bat. Our fans will enjoy watching her compete over the next four years."
Barbary's power numbers are noteworthy. She totaled 23 career home runs in her high school career and led the team in long balls as a senior. On the travel circuit, she hit .407 with a .484 on-base percentage in 2021. Defensively, she turned in a .918 fielding percentage with Atlanta Premier.
She is a four-time first team all-academic selection and earned the Superintendent Scholar Award and Pin as a sophomore.
Mississippi State softball signed six student-athletes on National Signing Day on Nov. 10. State's class was ranked No. 17 by Extra Innings Softball, the highest-ranked class under Ricketts. Five of the six signees were ranked among the nation's top 100 players. The Bulldogs will continue to release an in-depth look at each signee in the coming weeks.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
"It's only appropriate that we kick off this signing class with Nadia," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "We have been waiting for her arrival in Starkville for a long time. She was the first commit in this class and has been an outstanding all-around athlete from a young age. She plays with the same grace and smooth glove and footwork that former Bulldog great Kayla Winkfield played with at the shortstop position. That along with her consistent bat will make her an impact player for years to come."
Barbary started for four years at Chapel Hill High School, where she competed in the fall season. After winning a regional championship in her freshman season, she was named the Region 5 Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2019. She was named first team all-state in 2020 and was nominated to play in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Associate All-Star Game in the summer of 2021.
"Nadia is a very gifted infielder with a tremendous glove, strong arm and the range to make difficult plays look routine," assistant coach Tyler Bratton said. "Her upside is through the roof, and we have been excited about having her ever since the day she committed to us several years back. She has very good pop offensively and can change the outcome of the game with one swing of the bat. Our fans will enjoy watching her compete over the next four years."
Barbary's power numbers are noteworthy. She totaled 23 career home runs in her high school career and led the team in long balls as a senior. On the travel circuit, she hit .407 with a .484 on-base percentage in 2021. Defensively, she turned in a .918 fielding percentage with Atlanta Premier.
She is a four-time first team all-academic selection and earned the Superintendent Scholar Award and Pin as a sophomore.
Mississippi State softball signed six student-athletes on National Signing Day on Nov. 10. State's class was ranked No. 17 by Extra Innings Softball, the highest-ranked class under Ricketts. Five of the six signees were ranked among the nation's top 100 players. The Bulldogs will continue to release an in-depth look at each signee 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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