University of Memphis Athletics
Memphis Softball Adds 7 in 2021 Signing Class
Nov 12, 2020 | Softball
MEMPHIS — The Memphis women's softball team has officially added seven players to its 2021 signing class.
With head coach Natalie Poole entering her 10th season at Memphis, the Tigers are looking to build on what was a promising beginning to the 2020 season. The team got off to a 16-9 start in 2020, including going 9-1 at home, before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
"As I think about what this group of student-athletes will add to the team we already have, I get excited," said head coach Natalie Poole. "We already have some great talent on the team, and these young ladies are going to add to the athleticism, energy, leadership and competitiveness we have as a group. They will immediately push our current players and we will see contributions right away from them. I am always thankful to those that choose our program and want their years of competition to be more than they dreamed."
2021 Tiger Softball Signees
Zoë Adebayo, 1B/C, Maumelle, Ark.
Adebayo posted a .465 batting average over her career at North Little Rock High School. She hit .360 with six home runs and 34 runs batted in for her club team last season. Her father, Sunday Adebayo, played college basketball at Memphis for one season and Arkansas for three seasons.
From Coach Poole: "Zoë is a first baseman who hits for power. She has had a true desire to be a Tiger for a while, as her father was a former Tiger. She is passionate about the game and is committed to growth. Every time I see her she has gotten better. She will be a competitor on the field for us and I'm excited to have her here."
Rachel Britton, P/INF, Lorton, Va.
Britton had 25 hits and 22 runs batted in as a sophomore while helping lead South County High School to the Virginia Class 6 state title, the largest classification in the state. She opened the 2019 season by throwing a no-hitter. Her father, Ryan Britton, is a 1991 UofM graduate.
From Coach Poole: "Rachel will be a corner infielder for us. She will do whatever it takes to get better and compete for this team. She plays hard and I look forward seeing that on the field daily. I am thankful Rachel chose to become a Memphis Tiger, just like her father. "
Jenna Gibson, P, Arbyrd, Mo.
From Southland C-9 High School, Gibson is a two-time All-Conference Player of the Year, All-District Pitcher of the Year and All-Region selection. In a shortened 12-game junior season, she had a .815 batting average and a 1.704 slugging percentage at the plate while posting a 1.07 ERA in the circle with 124 strikeouts. That includes a 19-strikeout game.
From Coach Poole: "Jenna does a great job of competing. She has good arm speed and moves the ball well. She has a strong presence on the mound and she has tremendous work ethic. She has been fun to watch throughout the recruitment process. She also can provide an offensive threat at the plate for us."
Linsey Hargis, INF/OF, Natchitoches, La.
Hargis is an all-around athlete who lettered all four years in both softball and soccer at Natchitoches Central High School. As a shortstop and pitcher, Hargis led Natchitoches Central for three seasons in home runs, on-base percentage and fielding percentage. Over four seasons with the Louisiana Voodoo club team, she posted a .484 batting average and hit 15 home runs.
From Coach Poole: "Linsey is a middle infielder who I believe has potential to play in the infield or the outfield for us due to her athletic ability. She has great range, hands and a strong arm. She is a hard-worker, adjusts well and plays the game hard. She plays with a lot of confidence."
Presley Morris, SS, St. Joseph, Tenn.
A four-year letter winner at Rogers High School in Florence, Ala., Morris is an All-Area shortstop voted to represent the North team in the Alabama High School All-Star Game. She helped lead Rogers to a Class 4A state runner-up finish in 2019, and has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her high school career.
From Coach Poole: "Presley is a middle infielder who I believe has the potential to play in the infield or outfield here at Memphis. She is a competitor in all ways. She plays the game with passion and grit, and has a ton of intrinsic motivation. I believe she will do whatever it takes to fight for this team."
E'mya Munford, 1B/3B, Atlanta, Ga.
A corner infielder at Hampton High School, Munford was a first-team All-Region selection. She owns the Hampton school record with 10 home runs in a season. Academically, she is a member of the National Honor Society and has a 4.0 GPA.
From Coach Poole: "E'mya is a power hitter to the core. She stood out from the first time I saw her play, and continues to impress me each time I watch her. She also moves well defensively and will work in more than one position for us. She has been the energy provider for teams she has played on. She has a fun spirit and is a great teammate."
Macie Welch, P, Paron, Ark.
Welch was an All-State and All-Conference selection in 2018 and 2019 for Baptist Prep in Little Rock, Ark. While playing for her club team, the Gold Coast Hurricanes, Welch logged 75 innings pitched and had a 1.32 ERA with a 25-3 record and seven saves. She also posted a .375 batting average.
From Coach Poole: "Macie brings a different look to our staff because she is a lefty. She moves the ball well and gets a lot of swings and misses. We have been watching Macie for a while. She was someone who had been on our radar, even before we officially began to recruit her. She also can hit for herself and will have an opportunity to provide offense for us."
