University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball Inks Nine On National Signing Day
11/8/2023 4:41:00 PM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss.- Head coach Natalie Poole and the Southern Miss Softball program officially welcomed nine new members from the 2024 signing class on National Signing Day, which occurred on Nov. 8.
Hannah Christian, Olivia Christian, Kayla Giardina, Carrie Green, Jolie Hays, Natalie Herrington, Chloe Miller, Bella Ramon and Abbi Troquille are the nine Golden Eagles who officially signed on Wednesday.
"We are really excited about the 2024 class that has been assembled. We are adding to each area on our field with pitchers, a catcher, infielders and outfielders. Each person in this class brings not only their strong unique physical skillsets, but also their high level of competitiveness that will aid in our continual climb within this program and the conference," Poole said. "We are happy to finally be able to sign these athletes and look forward to getting them here next August."
Hannah Christian | Hoover, Ala. | Outfielder | Hoover High School
Hannah Christian will join the Golden Eagles along with her sister, Olivia, who played together at Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala. Christian was named three times to the All-South Metro Team, and the Over the Mountain Team, and was also named twice to the Alabama 7A All-State Team and AL.com Terrific 20 list. In 2022, Hannah's .503 batting average broke a single-season school record. Her standout performance earned her a ranking of No. 38 on Extra Inning Elite's overall player ranking.
Olivia Christian| Hoover, Ala. | Pitcher/1B | Hoover High School
Olivia Christian excelled at Hoover High School along with her sister, Hannah, landing three-time honors on the Over the Mountain Team and being named to the PGF All-American Watchlist Class of 2024. Olivia also participated in the 2023 Perfect Game Gulf Shores Classic. Christian's performances throughout her career landed her at No. 40 on Extra Inning Elite's overall player ranking and her performance on the mound ranked seventh in ERA among Alabama pitching leaderboards.Â
Kayla Giardina | Kenner, La. | Pitcher | Archbishop Chapelle High School
Giardina will join the Southern Miss pitching staff after as a decorated five-year letterwinner at Archbishop Chapelle High School. The Kenner, La. product has 526 career strikeouts and in the 2023 season alone, had 244 strikeouts over 141 innings with five no-hitters, while also hitting 30 RBIs and three home runs on a .421 batting average. Giardina was named First Team All-District in 2022 and 2023, and the 9-5A MVP/Player of the Year in 2023. She was selected to the Louisiana Softball Coaches Association 5A All-State Team, the Louisiana Sport Writers Association 5A All-State Team, and named as the All-Metro 2023 Outstanding player last season. Giardina also has travel ball experience, playing for the LA Voodoo Barksdale Gold.
Carrie Green | Loganville, Ga. | Outfielder | Grayson High School
Carrie Green finished her decorated career at Grayson High School in 2023 as the Region Player of the Year and a Georgia Dugout Club Senior All-Star Selection after posting a .639 batting average with 78 hits, 19 doubles, 64 runs scored and 35 stolen bases. Green was also named the 202 Offensive Player of the Year and her performance landed her a No. 32 ranking on Extra Innings' overall player ranking and at No. 23 on its outfielder ranking list.
Jolie Hays | Brandon, Miss. | Pitcher and Outfielder | Northwest Rankin High School
Hays joins the Golden Eagles as the reigning MHSAA 6A State Champion MVP, leading Northwest Rankin High School to a 34-4 record and its first state tile since 2009. Hays also was named the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2nd Team All-American, finishing the 2022-2023 season with a 20-2 record with a 1.03 ERA and 213 strikeouts in 157 innings. The lefty was also named SBLive's LHP of the Year and she was selected as C Spire's 6A Miss Softball.
Natalie Herrington | Petal, Miss. | Pitcher | Pearl River Community College
Herrington will make her return to the Pine Belt after a standout career at Petal High School, where led the Panthers to a title in her senior year. Herrington posted a 0.74 ERA and a 25-4 record, striking out 246 in her final season at Petal. Her success carried over to her freshman debut with Pearl River Community College, where the Petal product posted a 15-6 record in 143 innings played with a 1.51 ERA. She struck out 129 batters and walked just 26, landing her a spot on the Second Team All-MACCC.
Chloe Miller | Brandon, Miss. | Catcher | Northwest Rankin High School
Miller joins her high school teammate, Hays, from Northwest Rankin High School, where the pair won a state title in 2023. As a catcher for the Cougars, Miller was named three times as First Team All-District and was named as a MAC All-Star and to the All-State Tournament Team in 2023. Miller excelled off the field in high school as well- she was named as a 2022 and 2023 MHSSA Scholar Athlete, made the ACT 30+ Club and was active in the National Honors Society and Student Government in high school.
Bella Ramon | Floresville, Texas | 1B | Floresville High School
Ramon will join Southern Miss from Floresville, Texas, where she was named the 2023 28-4 District MVP, and also was tabbed to the 2022 District 29-5A First Team All-District. Ramon also participated in the 2022 Colorado IDT All-Star Game and her performance landed her on Extra Innings' Top 100 list and the Class of 2024 PGF All-American Watchlist.
Abbi Troquille | Tioga, La. | Middle Infield/Utility | Tioga High School
Troquille will join Southern Miss from Tioga High School, where she was named three times to First Team All-District, and twice to USSSA Louisiana All-State.
For the latest information on Golden Eagle Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB), and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
Hannah Christian, Olivia Christian, Kayla Giardina, Carrie Green, Jolie Hays, Natalie Herrington, Chloe Miller, Bella Ramon and Abbi Troquille are the nine Golden Eagles who officially signed on Wednesday.
"We are really excited about the 2024 class that has been assembled. We are adding to each area on our field with pitchers, a catcher, infielders and outfielders. Each person in this class brings not only their strong unique physical skillsets, but also their high level of competitiveness that will aid in our continual climb within this program and the conference," Poole said. "We are happy to finally be able to sign these athletes and look forward to getting them here next August."
Hannah Christian | Hoover, Ala. | Outfielder | Hoover High School
Hannah Christian will join the Golden Eagles along with her sister, Olivia, who played together at Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala. Christian was named three times to the All-South Metro Team, and the Over the Mountain Team, and was also named twice to the Alabama 7A All-State Team and AL.com Terrific 20 list. In 2022, Hannah's .503 batting average broke a single-season school record. Her standout performance earned her a ranking of No. 38 on Extra Inning Elite's overall player ranking.
Olivia Christian| Hoover, Ala. | Pitcher/1B | Hoover High School
Olivia Christian excelled at Hoover High School along with her sister, Hannah, landing three-time honors on the Over the Mountain Team and being named to the PGF All-American Watchlist Class of 2024. Olivia also participated in the 2023 Perfect Game Gulf Shores Classic. Christian's performances throughout her career landed her at No. 40 on Extra Inning Elite's overall player ranking and her performance on the mound ranked seventh in ERA among Alabama pitching leaderboards.Â
Kayla Giardina | Kenner, La. | Pitcher | Archbishop Chapelle High School
Giardina will join the Southern Miss pitching staff after as a decorated five-year letterwinner at Archbishop Chapelle High School. The Kenner, La. product has 526 career strikeouts and in the 2023 season alone, had 244 strikeouts over 141 innings with five no-hitters, while also hitting 30 RBIs and three home runs on a .421 batting average. Giardina was named First Team All-District in 2022 and 2023, and the 9-5A MVP/Player of the Year in 2023. She was selected to the Louisiana Softball Coaches Association 5A All-State Team, the Louisiana Sport Writers Association 5A All-State Team, and named as the All-Metro 2023 Outstanding player last season. Giardina also has travel ball experience, playing for the LA Voodoo Barksdale Gold.
Carrie Green | Loganville, Ga. | Outfielder | Grayson High School
Carrie Green finished her decorated career at Grayson High School in 2023 as the Region Player of the Year and a Georgia Dugout Club Senior All-Star Selection after posting a .639 batting average with 78 hits, 19 doubles, 64 runs scored and 35 stolen bases. Green was also named the 202 Offensive Player of the Year and her performance landed her a No. 32 ranking on Extra Innings' overall player ranking and at No. 23 on its outfielder ranking list.
Jolie Hays | Brandon, Miss. | Pitcher and Outfielder | Northwest Rankin High School
Hays joins the Golden Eagles as the reigning MHSAA 6A State Champion MVP, leading Northwest Rankin High School to a 34-4 record and its first state tile since 2009. Hays also was named the Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2nd Team All-American, finishing the 2022-2023 season with a 20-2 record with a 1.03 ERA and 213 strikeouts in 157 innings. The lefty was also named SBLive's LHP of the Year and she was selected as C Spire's 6A Miss Softball.
Natalie Herrington | Petal, Miss. | Pitcher | Pearl River Community College
Herrington will make her return to the Pine Belt after a standout career at Petal High School, where led the Panthers to a title in her senior year. Herrington posted a 0.74 ERA and a 25-4 record, striking out 246 in her final season at Petal. Her success carried over to her freshman debut with Pearl River Community College, where the Petal product posted a 15-6 record in 143 innings played with a 1.51 ERA. She struck out 129 batters and walked just 26, landing her a spot on the Second Team All-MACCC.
Chloe Miller | Brandon, Miss. | Catcher | Northwest Rankin High School
Miller joins her high school teammate, Hays, from Northwest Rankin High School, where the pair won a state title in 2023. As a catcher for the Cougars, Miller was named three times as First Team All-District and was named as a MAC All-Star and to the All-State Tournament Team in 2023. Miller excelled off the field in high school as well- she was named as a 2022 and 2023 MHSSA Scholar Athlete, made the ACT 30+ Club and was active in the National Honors Society and Student Government in high school.
Bella Ramon | Floresville, Texas | 1B | Floresville High School
Ramon will join Southern Miss from Floresville, Texas, where she was named the 2023 28-4 District MVP, and also was tabbed to the 2022 District 29-5A First Team All-District. Ramon also participated in the 2022 Colorado IDT All-Star Game and her performance landed her on Extra Innings' Top 100 list and the Class of 2024 PGF All-American Watchlist.
Abbi Troquille | Tioga, La. | Middle Infield/Utility | Tioga High School
Troquille will join Southern Miss from Tioga High School, where she was named three times to First Team All-District, and twice to USSSA Louisiana All-State.
For the latest information on Golden Eagle Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB), and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
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