2024 softball recruits

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Post by OU_Tom »

Bottom post of the previous page:

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Post by OUBeliever56A »

TropicalSooner wrote: Mon Oct 10, 2022 6:53 pm
OUBeliever56A wrote: Mon Oct 10, 2022 4:51 pm
TropicalSooner wrote: Mon Oct 10, 2022 3:30 pm Patty (in her golf cart) was rolling out the red carpet last week for a recruit---any idea who??

Looked like a welcome wagon on Timberdale...Any rumors??

i have heard that a top ranked 2024 RHP was in town this week or weekend.



Comments from another site........
Hoping that we get a favorable visit from Morgan Reimer. She would be a nice pairing to go with Lowry.
That is who I was told was in town this weekend for a visit. Morgan Reimer would give OU 2 of the top 4 pitchers in the class. I hope she commits to OU.
Guess it wasn't Morgan.......
Do not give up the hope yet on Reimer......
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Post by OUBeliever56A »

Here is what EIS said about the talented Tia Milloy - Class of 2024 - T-39 in September of 2022.

T-39—Tia Milloy, MIF, Northwest Bullets 18U – Muir
Tia is nearly an unstoppable force on offense and was named as a four-star athlete by OnDeck, was on the 2022 Washington State 4A champion and earned All-State honors and was the Kingco League MVP. From Redmond, Washington, her athletic ability is “unmatched,” per Head Coach Dennis Muir and you don’t have to look hard to see where it comes from—Tia hails from a long line of athletic talent and is determined to make a name for herself after her father, Lawyer Milloy, played in the NFL and won a Super Bowl while her mom was a collegiate track star, one sister played softball for the Univ. of Washington and another is currently at Tennessee and competes with the USA National Team. Tia keeps the defense on their toes with her ability to lay down a drag bunt or hit a hard ball in the gap. “She is able to read the defense and execute,” adds her coach, “and Tia possesses power, speed and instincts that most don’t have.” Defensively, as a middle infielder she has incredible range and a great first step.


Ms. Milloy injured a wrist a little over a year ago (I think that is correct) and had been rehabbing the injury during that time. She is healthy again and with her wrist healed fully, it seems that her level of play has jumped off the charts. I think we will see her ranking increase rapidly in 2023 and 2024.

Remember to not go too hung up about the ranking of the players. As a fan, we like to say we got a #1, but there are playing flying under the radar. If the Sooner coaching staff finds them, there is a reason they recruited the player. "In Patty we trust".

Boomer Sooner!
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Post by OU_Tom »

Gabriella Garcia. She throws javelin and is from AZ. About 1/2 of OU roster has given her congratulations on Instagram. She is a bat user - SS/OF I can't find any softball info on her but she can really throw the javelin 😂

I am not sure if she is 2023 or 2024. Bat buster roster says she is same year as Maya Bland/Ella Parker


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Post by OU_Tom »

OUBeliever56A wrote: Tue Oct 11, 2022 9:59 pm Garcia is a Class of 2023 player. She does not play HS softball because she participates in Track and Field and throws the javelin very far.

She will play for the Batbuster-Stith 18U Team next summer. She has kinda emerged out of the class. I think the Batbusters contacted HCPG about Garcia.

She is a 5'3" powerhouse bat that can play defense.

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thanks! Very interesting background
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Post by OUBeliever56A »

Gabriella Garcia is a player from Arizona. She has played for the AZ Suncats the last few summers. She does not play High School softball because she is on the Track and Field Team and throws the Javelin. She owns the AZ state record I believe which means she throws the javelin very far. She will play for the OC Batbusters - Stith next summer. She is a SS-MIF. She is known as a powerful hitter with very good defensive skills. She is in the 5'3" or 5'4" range height-wise.
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Post by TropicalSooner »

Wow! I'm grateful that she flew under the radar and Arizona and ASU didn't discover her.
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Post by OU_Tom »



What an athletic pedigree the Milloy family has when it comes to college sports.

Lawyer Milloy had a storied career at Washington and went on to play 15 years in the NFL with the Seahawks and Patriots, and finished with a Super Bowl Trophy and four Pro Bowl appearances. He met his wife, Claudine, at UW where she was a notable track athlete, twice earning All-American honors.

The couple would go on to have four daughters who have all had impressive softball careers.

The oldest is Amirah, who played the outfield from 2016-to-2019 for the Huskies and was an NFCA All-Region honoree and an All-American scholar athlete.

Following her in the line of sisters is Kiki, who currently plays at Tennessee and was part of the USA Women’s National Team that competed in the Japan All-Star Series held in August; Tia, a 2024 who recently committed to Oklahoma; and Breya, who is an up-and-coming 10 year old softball prospect.

Over the summer, we did a Player Spotlight on Tia titled “I Would Love to Be Remembered as Someone Who Loves the Game” which you can read by clicking HERE.


Tia Milloy
Last month, she was selected to the Top 40 of the 2024 Extra Elite 100 in which we wrote about her in part:

T-39—Tia Milloy, MIF, Northwest Bullets 18U – Muir
Tia is nearly an unstoppable force on offense and was named as a four-star athlete by OnDeck, was on the 2022 Washington State 4A champion, earned All-State honors and was the Kingco League MVP. From Redmond, Washington, her athletic ability is “unmatched,” per Head Coach Dennis Muir who added: “Tia keeps the defense on their toes with her ability to lay down a drag bunt or hit a hard ball in the gap. She is able to read the defense and execute and Tia possesses power, speed and instincts that most don’t have.” Defensively, as a middle infielder she has incredible range and a great first step.

Extra Inning Softball’s Joy Roeder recently caught up with the future Sooner infielder to learn more about her verbal to Oklahoma… here’s that interview:

*****

How much did you rely on your family to helping you navigate your decision?
I knew that my family was going to be supportive no matter where I decided to go. When it was time to make my decision, mom and my dad were right by my side. All of my sisters were so happy for me when I had told them that I committed to Oklahoma.

How much did your club and/or HS coaches help in your recruiting process?
My club coaches were very supportive as our organization’s goal is to get us to college. They had preexisting relationships with college coaches and were constantly relaying information between me and the coaches prior to September 1st.

How many schools did you narrow your list to going into Sept. 1st?
I didn’t narrow down my options until after September 1 when I could create relationships with coaches. I did have some schools in mind, but I wanted to keep my options open.

How many schools did you visit?
Two.

Was Oklahoma a clear stand out or were you torn between a few schools?
All the schools that I was considering were great options and I believe that I would have been happy with any of my options.


Tia fires the ball to first for the out in action with her Northwest Bullets 18U team.
What was it that stood out about Oklahoma?
I love the competitive nature of the program. The coaches constantly create competition within the team and I know that I will get better because my coaches and teammates will push me to be the best player and person I can.

What were some of the questions you made sure to ask while on visits?
My parents and I made sure to ask about the academic support of the program. It’s important to us that I come out of college with a good degree that is applicable in life beyond college.

What was the hardest part about the recruiting process for you?
The hardest part to me was making my decision. I knew that any place that I would picked would have been a great fit for me, I just had to find what would be the best.

It’s easy to see why players want to play for a national championship program like Oklahoma. What is something non-softball related that weighed in on your decision to choosing Oklahoma?
The Oklahoma staff and team feel like family. They really took the time to learn about me and my family. After September 1st, the coaching staff frequently took the time to call me. I had great long talks with each coach and most of the time the topic wasn’t about softball. When I got the campus for my official visit, I felt welcomed by the whole team and especially my host, Tiare Jennings.


Tia “possesses power, speed and instincts that most don’t have,” according to Bullets head coach Dennis Muir.
Is there anything you are nervous about as you think about being a student-athlete? If so, do you feel you have resources and tools that can help with the nerves and make sure you keep your mental health and overall ability to deal with the pressures in check?
I think there this is a possibility that I–and other student-athletes–at the collegiate level can experience these issues, but I feel like my decision has ensured that I will be surrounded but he right people in order for me to get through those difficulties.

I feel comfortable talking to everyone on the coaching staff and I am confident that they are all people that are willing to support me. I have gotten the opportunity to go to camps and visits with the other commits, all people who I am so excited to play with. I also know that I have that same support at home. My mom, dad, and two sisters have all lived the life of a student athlete.

Do you have any friends/teammates that are not committed yet? Have they gotten discouraged and, if so, how have you tried to encourage them and what piece of advice would you give your peers that you know have talent but haven’t yet been committed?
I think that it is very easy to compare ourselves to others, especially in softball. For me, I started getting anxious as I saw more and more girls committing. My advice is to remember that everyone is different and every process is different. Trust the work that you know that you have put in. Trust your process
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Post by OU_Tom »

Audrey Lowry, Oklahoma softball share ‘championship mindset’




LIZTON, Ind. (BVM) – Since Audrey Lowry began playing softball around 10 years ago, she has always found success. A lot of that comes thanks to her calm demeanor in big moments.



“A lot of people have told me in the past that I have really good composure on the mound and that I don’t let my emotions overtake me and my pitching,” Lowry said.

Of course, her composure has been combined with elite arm talent that has been seen time and again when Lowry is in the circle. She began her softball career with the Indiana Gators, but shortly after, joined Tennessee Mojo who she won a national championship with at the 10U level in 2016.

After a multi-year stint with the Beverly Bandits where Lowry helped her team to a runner-up finish in the Premier Girls Fastpitch national championship last summer, she is back with Tennessee Mojo seeking a new experience and challenge.

“I’ve known those girls for a long time,” Lowry said. “I’ve played with them before, I know the coaches and all that. I just love it, it’s great.”

The challenge of performing at an elite level on the softball field is something the Tri-West High School junior has relished for some time. Growing up, Lowry remembers watching her dad play in a slow-pitch softball league. It made her want to try it out, and despite attempts at other sports, softball always stood above the rest.

“I just was drawn to the sport of softball,” Lowry said. “I tried other sports like soccer, basketball and volleyball, but I never really felt connected to those sports as much as I did to softball.”

As Lowry got more and more into the sport, she began watching other girls play who quickly became role models, many of whom were part of the Oklahoma softball program. The player she idolized most was Paige Parker, a dominant left-handed pitcher for the Sooners similar to Lowry herself.


“I always watched her when I was younger,” Lowry mentioned. “That just brought a lot of confidence in me playing softball.”


Several years later, Lowry is following in the footsteps of her idol. Being previously ranked as high as the No. 2-ranked player nationally in the Class of 2024 by Extra Inning Softball, Lowry had her choice of where she wanted to play at the next level. In fact, when her recruiting first opened, the amount of attention she received was almost too much to handle.

“I didn’t know what to do because I kept getting calls and I didn’t know how to answer all those calls,” Lowry said. “It was just very overwhelming.”

However, Lowry’s first scheduled college visit would come shortly after at Oklahoma. Going to camps there in the past, the pitching standout had already built a relationship with the coaching staff, including longtime head coach Patty Gasso.

For some time, Lowry believed the best choice for her was joining the Sooners. The initial visit to Norman only confirmed that.


“My dream has always been to go to Oklahoma,” Lowry said. “I love Coach Gasso, I love the environment, the championship mindset, I just love it so much. When I got there, I honestly knew that that was where I wanted to go.”

During the visit, Lowry got to meet some of her future teammates, and worked out with star Oklahoma pitcher Jordy Bahl, someone the Tri-West standout has played with in the past.

The following day, Lowry and her family had a long discussion at breakfast with Coach Gasso. Ultimately, she decided to commit to the championship program right then and there.


“We all cried, it was a very emotional moment,” Lowry said. “Even Coach Gasso had some tears in her eyes. But it was just a great moment because I’ve known Coach Gasso for a very long time. It’s awesome.”

Of course, any college softball fan knows Oklahoma has been the cream of the crop in recent years. The Sooners are reigning back-to-back national champions, and have won five national titles overall in the past decade. So far, they have started the 2023 season with 30 wins in their first 31 games.


A champion herself, being able to join a program that has an elite mindset, as well as plenty of talented players, has Lowry excited for the future.

“I’m so excited,” Lowry said. “I’m so excited that I get to play with Jordy her senior year. I’m just excited to get there and experience the Oklahoma program personally. It’s definitely motivated me to work even harder than I was before.”

While Lowry is poised for big things with the Sooners, her current focus is finishing her Tri-West career with two more strong seasons. As a freshman, Lowry made a seamless transition to high school softball thanks to her familiarity with the program.

“I was comfortable,” Lowry said. “All the girls were amazing and we had a great season.”

Audrey Lowry began her junior season in dominant fashion with two home runs at the plate and nine strikeouts in the circle during the Bruins’ opening-game victory. (Credit: Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK)
That year, the lefty went an impressive 17-3 with a 0.83 ERA and a program single-season record 236 strikeouts. She was also strong as a hitter with a .442 batting average as well as two home runs and 27 RBIs.


However, it was Lowry’s sophomore year that is one of the most memorable of her career. In the circle, the left-handed pitcher only got better, going 22-3 with a 0.42 ERA and 302 strikeouts. She also hit .434 with a home run and 21 RBIs.

Her performance throughout the year led the Bruins to a tremendous campaign overall. Before the season, Lowry and her team weren’t sure if they had what it took to get to state. However, that’s exactly where they ended up in June.

“It was an amazing season,” Lowry said. “Going into the start of my sophomore season, we didn’t even realize that we would have the potential to get to the state championship.

“All throughout the year, we were just playing hard, we were trusting each other. Once we got to semistate, I think it really kicked in for all of us that we could get to the state championship and compete for the state championship.”

With a team that sometimes found itself anxious at the start of big games, yet always confident, Lowry helped lead the Bruins to wins at semistate, and a run all the way to the state championship game. There, Lowry got the start for Tri-West in some adverse conditions due to some heavy rain. Facing off against St. Joseph freshman Berkley Zache, the contest became one of the great pitcher’s duels seen in a state title game in the Hoosier State.


During the state championship, Lowry racked up an IHSAA Class 3A record 22 strikeouts, and didn’t allow a hit in the game until the ninth inning. This was despite walking three batters to load the bases in the first as the rain poured down.

Unfortunately, Zache herself would drive in the winning run in the ninth inning to earn the 1-0 victory for St. Joseph.

While the Bruins ultimately came up short, the game was by no means a failure in Lowry’s eyes. Rather, it’s a learning experience that both she and her teammates can draw positives from.


“It’s not a bad moment that we lost,” Lowry said. “It’s also a good thing because you can reflect from all that stuff. It just helps us become better players.”

Perhaps the toughest part of the loss was seeing the seniors on the team go out on a losing note. As a result, the Bruins continue to be motivated to get back to state this season, and feel more comfortable from the experience they now have.

“It’s definitely motivated us,” Lowry said. “We didn’t know what to expect [last year], but we’ve played in those games before where we’ve had tons of people there.

“I think we have amazing potential. I think we have an amazing team.”

While the team goals remain a state title, Lowry is also seeing plenty of individual progress as well. Throughout the offseason, the 5-foot-8 pitcher has been in the weight room, looking to add more muscle to her frame. She hopes to continue building on that throughout the season.

“What I’m focusing on now through this high school season is maintaining that muscle,” Lowry said. “I think that’s really going to help me personally.”

The high school softball season is just getting underway in Indiana, but already, Lowry and the Bruins have seen positive results. In a season-opening victory over Fishers, Lowry pitched seven innings, allowing zero earned runs while striking out nine batters. She also belted two home runs in the opener.

Lowry comes into the spring with plenty of expectations as well. As a top-10 player in the Class of 2024, many would probably feel pressure to perform. But for Lowry, the ranking is more motivating than anything, and a testament to the hard work she has put in to get to this point.

“I definitely feel honored that I’ve been recognized,” Lowry said. “It does motivate me, even though I don’t show it on social media. It definitely makes me feel good about what I’ve accomplished.”

There is no doubt the Tri-West junior is in the spotlight, not only in Indiana, but also nationally. With every pitch she throws, Lowry knows she has girls looking up to her, just as she looked up to players like Parker when she was younger.

Already, Lowry has aimed to give back to the next generation of softball stars by working at kids camps through the Bruins program. Over the next two years, and eventually at Oklahoma, she hopes to continue to leave a legacy every time she is in the circle.

“I want to leave my legacy to the girls that are coming into the program in the future,” Lowry said. “I just want them to know that it does take hard work, but it’s a good obstacle to go through, especially to help you in life. I hope they can reflect from that.”

Of course, Lowry’s legacy on the field will be defined by the success she has over the next several years. At Oklahoma, she hopes to continue to get stronger, maintain her weight, and work further on her pitches. However, like almost every player that comes through the elite program, Lowry has one main goal before her time in Norman is done.

“Hopefully win a national championship,” Lowry said.




https://bvmsports.com/2023/03/29/audrey ... p-mindset/
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Post by Oldsoftballfan »

So there are 6 OU commits for this class? Am I right? Lowry, Hicks, Barker, Milloy, McKay & Helton
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Post by OURed »

Oldsoftballfan wrote: Mon May 29, 2023 2:14 pm So there are 6 OU commits for this class? Am I right? Lowry, Hicks, Barker, Milloy, McKay & Helton
7 commits I believe. We also have a commitment from Gabriella Garcia SS/MIF Arizona
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Post by OU_Tom »

OUBeliever56A wrote: Tue Oct 03, 2023 5:08 pm The Class of 2024 now has 8 players.

Audrey Lowry LHP, Sydney Barker SS, Corri Hicks C, Tia Milloy MIF/OF, Chaney Helton CF, Gabriella Garcia MIF, Kady McKay MIF/UT and now Riley Zache C/UT.

Riley Zache is a 2024 Player and was ranked in a Tie for the #48 player in the last rankings. Riley is a MiF/UT (Catcher). I t sounds like she hit few HRs also as she owns her HS HR record for a season. Riley was originally a commit to Mizzou. But she has decommitted and will sign with the Sooners in the November National Letter of Intent time period this fall.

Boomer Sooner!
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Post by Oldsoftballfan »

Riley Zache ranked Tie21 in the final 2024 EIS rankings 20-11 comes out today so far Riley is the only one of our 8 recruits listed! Hoping this means the other 7 are ranked even higher! But Riley jumped several spots in this last ranking, happy for her!
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