The Lady Raiders tied their lowest win total since 2015, but are likely to reap the benefits now for playing such a young and inexperienced group last season. These girls are now veterans, and the lineup is largely intact. The expectation is now for the team to win and return to the playoffs, which they made 4 straight seasons prior to last year.

Head Coach: Karly Thompson (3rd Season)
2023 Record: 6-20; No Playoffs

Returning Starters: 7
Key Returners: C Shelby Rinefierd, 3B/SS Emily Diffenderfer, SS Hailee Parham, P/OF Kaylee McCalmon

Rinefierd was a power-hitting 1st Team All-Region pick, while Diffenderfer led the team in average and stolen bases. Parham started as a freshman, and Thompson is excited to see her settle in to being a key part of the lineup. McCalmon should be a key part of the young pitching staff and see some innings.

Key Departures: Hannah Odum

Team Strengths: “Even with a young pitching staff, we have several that can provide multiple innings – I am excited to see them settle in,” says Thompson. “We are returning the majority of our position players, so that should add a level of comfort and consistency to our young staff. Our line-up will be a good mix of pop and speed with the goal to manufacture runs.”

“We expect to return to the state playoffs, following our hiatus last season,” adds Thompson. “Our level of competitiveness needs to increase in every practice and game. We are expecting to score more runs per game by manufacturing runs and trying to create havoc on the base paths.”