Marshall University Athletics
Softball Adds Four in Early 2020-21 Signing Class
11/20/2019 4:21:00 PM | Softball
Sackett, Halliwill, Lee and Kenney to play for Marshall
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall softball head coach Megan Smith announced the signing of four players for the 2020-21 freshman class on Wednesday.
Joining the Marshall softball family in the fall of 2020 will be Kat Sackett, Paige Halliwill, Mikaila "Kay Kay" Kenney and Amaya Lee.
"We are thrilled to add these four dynamic players and their families to our Herd softball family," coach Smith said. "This class is a great mix of power, speed and athleticism and they have all of the intangibles that make them a great fit for our program. We cannot wait to have them in Huntington helping us compete for Conference USA Championships."
Kat Sackett is a catcher/first baseman from Erie, Colo. She was just named Erie High School's Player of the Year, which adds to her numerous honors that she has already collected. Sackett is a four-time all-conference performer and was named the 2017 and 2018 All-Conference Position Player of the Year. She was honored as first team All-Region in 2017 and 2018 and first team All-State in 2018. Sackett helped lead her team to a State Championship win in 2019, a moment that she names as her favorite in athletics. She has participated in the 2018 IDT All-Star game and was also honored with the All-State Academic award in 2018.
"I chose Marshall because when I came to visit, I noticed the special community and support for athletics and knew I couldn't find it anywhere else," Sackett said.
Paige Halliwill is a centerfielder from Mogadore, Ohio. Halliwill has already collected numerous awards during her high school journey. She is a two-time PTC first team member as well as the 2019 Player of the Year as she helped lead Mogadore High School to the PTC Championship win. Halliwill has been honored twice as first team All-District, second team All-Ohio and won the 2019 Golden Glove award. So far in her time with Mogadore, she is in the single-season record book multiple times for runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and batting average. Halliwill is already the school's all-time leader in career runs scored, triples and batting average.
"I chose Marshall because of the family atmosphere, the coaches were invested in me and the team comradery. I love what Marshall stands for," Halliwill said.
Mikaila "Kay Kay" Kenney is a utility player from Flower Mound, Texas. The mulit-talented athlete can play in the infield or the outfield. During her time so far at Marcus High School, Kenney has delivered 14 homers, scored 65 runs, driven in 49 and has a .375 batting average. In 2018, she was named first team All-District, team Defensive Player of the Year and to the Dallas/Fort Worth All-Metroplex Team. In 2019, Kenney repeated her selection to the all-metroplex team and as well as first team all-district. She has participated in the DFW Fastpitch All-Metroplex all-star games in 2018 and 2019 and the Colorado Fireworks All-Star games in 2018-19 as well.
"I chose Marshall because as soon as I stepped on campus I knew it was home," Kenney said.
Amaya Lee is an infielder from Concord, Calif. While playing for Northgate High School, Lee has a .321 batting average, collected 54 hits, scored 53 runs and drove in 24. She was named Honorable Mention as well. With her club team she was a member of a squad that won the PGF Qualifier in 2017 and again in 2019 which she names as her favorite moment in athletics.
"I chose Marshall because I felt really welcome by all the coaches and players and I really enjoyed the environment," Lee said.
For all of the latest information on the Marshall Softball team, follow the Herd on Twitter @HerdSB, Facebook at Marshall University Softball and on www.herdzone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
Joining the Marshall softball family in the fall of 2020 will be Kat Sackett, Paige Halliwill, Mikaila "Kay Kay" Kenney and Amaya Lee.
"We are thrilled to add these four dynamic players and their families to our Herd softball family," coach Smith said. "This class is a great mix of power, speed and athleticism and they have all of the intangibles that make them a great fit for our program. We cannot wait to have them in Huntington helping us compete for Conference USA Championships."
Kat Sackett is a catcher/first baseman from Erie, Colo. She was just named Erie High School's Player of the Year, which adds to her numerous honors that she has already collected. Sackett is a four-time all-conference performer and was named the 2017 and 2018 All-Conference Position Player of the Year. She was honored as first team All-Region in 2017 and 2018 and first team All-State in 2018. Sackett helped lead her team to a State Championship win in 2019, a moment that she names as her favorite in athletics. She has participated in the 2018 IDT All-Star game and was also honored with the All-State Academic award in 2018.
"I chose Marshall because when I came to visit, I noticed the special community and support for athletics and knew I couldn't find it anywhere else," Sackett said.
Paige Halliwill is a centerfielder from Mogadore, Ohio. Halliwill has already collected numerous awards during her high school journey. She is a two-time PTC first team member as well as the 2019 Player of the Year as she helped lead Mogadore High School to the PTC Championship win. Halliwill has been honored twice as first team All-District, second team All-Ohio and won the 2019 Golden Glove award. So far in her time with Mogadore, she is in the single-season record book multiple times for runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and batting average. Halliwill is already the school's all-time leader in career runs scored, triples and batting average.
"I chose Marshall because of the family atmosphere, the coaches were invested in me and the team comradery. I love what Marshall stands for," Halliwill said.
Mikaila "Kay Kay" Kenney is a utility player from Flower Mound, Texas. The mulit-talented athlete can play in the infield or the outfield. During her time so far at Marcus High School, Kenney has delivered 14 homers, scored 65 runs, driven in 49 and has a .375 batting average. In 2018, she was named first team All-District, team Defensive Player of the Year and to the Dallas/Fort Worth All-Metroplex Team. In 2019, Kenney repeated her selection to the all-metroplex team and as well as first team all-district. She has participated in the DFW Fastpitch All-Metroplex all-star games in 2018 and 2019 and the Colorado Fireworks All-Star games in 2018-19 as well.
"I chose Marshall because as soon as I stepped on campus I knew it was home," Kenney said.
Amaya Lee is an infielder from Concord, Calif. While playing for Northgate High School, Lee has a .321 batting average, collected 54 hits, scored 53 runs and drove in 24. She was named Honorable Mention as well. With her club team she was a member of a squad that won the PGF Qualifier in 2017 and again in 2019 which she names as her favorite moment in athletics.
"I chose Marshall because I felt really welcome by all the coaches and players and I really enjoyed the environment," Lee said.
For all of the latest information on the Marshall Softball team, follow the Herd on Twitter @HerdSB, Facebook at Marshall University Softball and on www.herdzone.com.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!
---HerdZone.com---
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