Class of 2024: Gretta Grassel

STARKVILLE – Gretta Grassel, a top-50 prospect, signed with Mississippi State softball in November.

The Boscobel, Wisconsin, native was ranked No. 45 in the class by Extra Inning Softball. Grassel is primarily an outfielder, but also pitches at times and was considered the No. 63 two-way player in the class.

"Gretta is a dynamic, athletic player that will be exciting for Bulldog fans to watch," head coach Samantha Ricketts said. "She has a tremendous tool set. She can hit for power and average, can run, play anywhere in the outfield and pitch when needed. Her experience and talent will fit right into our program, and we are excited to see her in the maroon and white soon."

While at Boscobel High School, Grassel helped the Bulldogs win three conference and regional championships while being tabbed First Team All-Conference, All-District and All-State three times. She was also a two-time Gatorade Wisconsin Player of the Year nominee.

In her freshman season, she was named the Southwest Wisconsin Athletic League Player of the Year after tossing four no-hitters, a perfect game and nine shutouts. She ranked third in the state that year with 233 strikeouts and posted a 0.41 ERA. Offensively, she hit .542 with a 1.530 OPS and stole 22 bases.

The following year she was the Wisconsin Division 4 Player of the Year and an Extra Inning Softball First Team High School All-American. She went 18-1 in the circle that spring with a school-record 296 strikeouts and a 0.76 ERA. She also broke the school record for batting average, hitting at a .641 clip, with a record-breaking seven homers and 31 RBIs.

Last year, she hit .453 with 19 stolen bases and struck out 250-plus batters for the second year in a row. Grassel threw five shutouts and a no-hitter. She currently holds Boscobel single-season records for hits (41), slugging percentage (1.156), singles (23), on-base percentage (.675) and RBIs (31).

"I chose Mississippi State because it felt like the right fit for me," Grassel said. "I told my parents at the beginning of my recruitment process that I would know if the school was right for me. I got that feeling when I first visited campus, and I knew that State could be my home for the next four years. I love how Starkville is a town where everyone rallies together. It makes it feel like my hometown. I love all of the facilities and opportunities athletes have here. I love the coaching staff and the communication they offer. I remember someone told me Mississippi State offered that small-town vibe with big-time athletics, and I fell in love with that."

Grassel previously played travel ball with Midwest Speed National, which won The Alliance Tier 2 National Championship this year. She was named to the All-Tournament Team at the national championship and hit .355 with a 1.083 OPS for the season. The previous summer saw her be named a Junior on the Rise by Alliance Fastpitch, and she was the MVP in the All-American Games at the 2021 Colorado Sparkler. She joined Top Gun National prior to her senior year.

Academically, Grassel earned seven Academic All-Conference honors across three different sports while in high school and received the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association's Academic Excellence Award as a junior.

Mississippi State softball signed nine student-athletes on National Signing Day on Nov. 8. State's class was ranked No. 15 by Extra Inning Softball. Six of the newcomers have been ranked by Extra Inning Softball as top 100 prospects, marking Rickett's largest number of top-100 prospects since taking over as head coach in 2020. The Bulldogs will continue to release an in-depth look at each signee throughout the month of December.

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."

Mississippi State University Athletics

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