Weekly Announces Nation's No. 7 Signing Class For 2022 - University of Tennessee Athletics

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee softball head coach Karen Weekly has announced the addition of 10 signees for the program's 2022 recruiting class. The group features eight field players and two pitchers, with all 10 set to begin their freshman campaigns on Rocky Top next fall.
 
Tennessee's 2022 class was tabbed top 10 in the country by Extra Inning Softball, ranking No. 7 overall and fourth among programs from the Southeastern Conference. The class includes five players that are currently rated in the Extra Elite 100 players rankings and six ranked inside the top 200.
 
"We are excited about the group of young women joining us in the fall of 2022," Weekly said. "They are talented, competitive, and address several position needs in a year where we will have a large graduating class. More important, they are exceptional students who embrace the legacy of academic and athletic success in the Lady Vol softball program. Our staff is excited to mentor them these next four years and beyond as they grow into their best selves on and off the field."
 
A detailed listing of Tennessee's 2022 signees, including high school and travel ball honors and notable achievements, can be viewed below. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee softball, follow @Vol_Softball on Twitter.
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Amanda Ahlin
Bamberg, S.C.
Bamberg-Ehrhardt HS / Carolina Elite SC
Outfield/Middle Infield / 5-6 / L/R

• Two-time SCHSL all-state honoree out of Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School in South Carolina who has helped lead the Red Raiders to a pair of consecutive region titles
• Batted .578 with five home runs her junior season and guided her team to an appearance in the state championship game
• Known for her speed on the base path, has been clocked at 2.7 seconds from home to first
• Plays travel ball for Carolina Elite SC alongside fellow signees Brylee Mesusan, Karlyn Pickens and Camryn Sarvis
• Selected as one of 21 high school juniors to compete in the 2021 PGF Futures All-American Game
• As a member of Carolina Cardinals National club team, earned a top-12 finish at PGF in 2021 and placed 2nd at Colorado Fireworks in 2019
• Also plays volleyball for BEHS, earning All-Region honors in 11th grade
• Involved with several extracurricular activities at her high school, including National Honor Society, Beta Club, student council and American Red Cross
• Has served as junior marshal for her high school and is set to graduate in the top five percent of her class this spring

Ahlin: "I chose Tennessee because of its well-rounded academic and athletic programs. The university has great programs to help me attain the degree I need as well as having the opportunity to play softball at a high level."
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Jamison Brockenbrough
Locust Grove, Ga.
Locust Grove HS / GA Impact
Outfield / 5-8 / L/R

• Three-time all-state outfielder from Locust Grove High School in Georgia who helped lead the Lady Wildcats to a pair of state titles
• GADC all-state team selection and defensive player of the year in 2021
• Sported a personal-best batting average of .416 her junior season
• Claimed first team All-Region honors as an outfielder all four years of high school and claimed three-straight region championships from 2018-20
• Plays travel ball for Georgia Impact (Lewis) alongside fellow UT signee Taylor Pannell
• Also competed in swimming and golf at Locust Grove
• Member of the AB honor roll all four years

Brockenbrough: "I chose to attend the University of Tennessee because of the softball program's focus on academics and because it feels like home."
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Jackie Kirkpatrick
Moore, Okla.
Mililani HS (Hawaii) / Cal A's
Catcher/3B / 5-8 / R/R

• Originally from Moore, Oklahoma, has stood out as a three-year starter for the Mililani High School varsity softball team in Hawaii
• Guided the Trojans to a No. 1 power ranking in the state of Hawaii during the 2019-20 season
• Helped her high school's JV squad to two consecutive OIA Championships
• Won a Little League World Series title with Greater Helotes Little League in 2016 and lists that as her proudest athletic accomplishment
• Featured by local news channel Spectrum OC16 as an 'Impact Player' during the 2021 OIA playoffs
• Participated in her high school's Best Buddies initiative all four years as an officer and chapter president, working with the nonprofit organization to provide opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disorders
• Has received a slew of academic honors the past two years, including first place prizes at the Honolulu District Science Fair and Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair
• Other academic awards include a Stockholm Junior Water Prize, recognition from the American Water Works Association and being named an AP Scholar by College Board
• Member of a military family, has traveled to 23 states and played softball in nine states

Kirkpatrick: "I chose the University of Tennessee because I loved all it had to offer on and off the field. I feel like I gravitated more towards the family aspect of UT and found that I would be one of many in such a well-knit community."
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Brylee Mesusan
Gray, Tenn.
Daniel Boone HS / Carolina Elite SC
Outfield / 5-5 / L/R

• Homegrown outfielder from Daniel Boone High School in Northeast Tennessee
• Rated by Extra Inning Softball as the No. 22 outfielder and No. 44 overall prospect for the class of 2022
• Known for her speed and savvy baserunning, has been clocked at 2.62 seconds from first to home and recorded 36 steals in 38 attempts in 2019
• Helped lead Daniel Boone HS to two consecutive conference championships in 2019 and 2021
• Earned first team all-conference accolades her freshman season at DBHS in 2019
• Won a regional title and made a state tournament appearance with her high school squad this past spring
• Participated in Beta Club and FCA and has been recognized on her high school's A honor roll
• Will enroll at UT with her lifelong 'softball bestie' Camryn Sarvis, as the duo has played on the same team since they were eight years old
• Plays travel ball for Carolina Elite SC alongside fellow signees Amanda Ahlin, Karlyn Pickens and Camryn Sarvis
• Led her travel club in steals, batting average and on-base percentage in 2020-21

Mesusan: "It has always been a dream of mine to attend the University of Tennessee. Family is important to me, and I appreciated UT's sense of family. An in-state school was also very appealing to me."
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Jenna Mosley
Summerville, Ga.
Trion HS / ProStar Fastpitch
Middle Infield / 5-5 / L/R

• Tennessee's first official signee of the 2022 class, hailing from Summerville, Georgia, where she is a four-year standout middle infielder
• First softball player from her high school to sign with an SEC program
• Earned GACA First Team All-State and First Team All-Region honors in 2020 after posting a .402 batting average with 24 RBIs and 18 steals
• Hit .457 with seven doubles, two triples, three home runs, 25 RBIs, 27 runs scored and 12 steals her senior season
• Regarded as a power hitter with the speed of a slapper
• Has played travel ball with ProStar Fastpitch for the last six years
• Served on Trion's student council all four years and as vice president her junior and senior year
• Member of Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society and National Society of High School Scholars and was recognized with the highest GPA in her class in 11th grade

Mosley: "I chose the University of Tennessee because of the atmostphere. It's much like home, just a lot bigger. The coaches and athletic program were also a huge factor in choosing Tennessee."
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Charli Orsini
Kellyville, New South Wales, Australia
Marian Catholic College / Sweet Heat
Pitcher / 5-7 / R/R

• Talented right-handed pitching prospect from Sydney, Australia, who has experience on the international stage
• Rated by Extra Inning Softball as the No. 21 pitcher (duo) and No. 57 overall prospect for the class of 2022
• Selected as a member of the Australian Junior Aussie Spirit Team that was slated to compete at the 2020 U18 Softball World Championships in Peru before the event's postponement due to COVID-19
• Named Pitcher of the Series at the 2020 U18 Australian National Championships, tossing 33.2 innings for New South Wales with a 0.62 ERA and 45 strikeouts
• Made her one and only trip to the United States in 2019, traveling to Mankato, Minnesota, with the Aussie Diamonds for the Peppers Carnival where she pitched 14 innings and racked up 19 strikeouts with a 0.00 ERA
• Named the New South Wales Softball Junior Athlete of the Year in 2021
• Also competed in swimming and cross country/track & field during her high school career
• Extracurricular activities include volunteering with the St. Vincent DePaul homeless outreach program and the Marian Catechism program
• Is set to graduate from Marian Catholic College this fall and will move to the U.S. early to play travel ball with Birmingham Thunderbolts

Orsini: "I chose the University of Tennessee because of the sense of family that I felt when talking to the coaching staff. My journey to Tennessee is quite unique, in that I have not yet stepped onto the college grounds. I have Googled images, I have explored Google Maps and I have watched plenty of YouTube clips, but I cannot wait for that sensation when my feet hit the ground in Tennessee."
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Taylor Pannell
Milan, Ill.
Rock Island HS / Georgia Impact
Shortstop / 5-8 / R/R

• Powerful speedster and All-American shortstop out of Rock Island High School right along the Illinois-Iowa border
• Rated by Extra Inning Softball as the No. 1 third base infielder and No. 4 overall prospect for the class of 2022
• Also ranked as a top-5 player in the country by MaxPreps and FloSoftball
• Recognized as a high school All-American by Extra Inning Softball as a freshman in 2019 and again as a junior in 2021
• Claimed All-State and All-Conference honors her freshman and junior seasons
• Led the state of Illinois with 17 home runs while batting .580 with 61 runs scored and 39 stolen bases in 2021 and was recognized as the Illinois high school player of the year
• Plays travel ball for Georgia Impact (Lewis) alongside fellow UT signee Jamison Brockenbrough
• Hit .488 with 11 homers and 23 steals for her travel team this past summer
• Selected as one of 21 high school juniors to compete in the 2021 PGF Futures All-American Game

Pannell: "I chose the University of Tennessee because that is the place I felt like best fit me. I wanted to go somewhere good academically and athletically. Tennessee is both. I just had a good connection with the coaches. It just felt right."
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Karlyn Pickens
Weaverville, North Carolina
North Buncombe HS / Carolina Elite SC
Pitcher / 6-1 / R/R

• Dominant right-handed pitcher from North Buncombe High School in Weaverville, North Carolina, about 10 miles north of Asheville
• Rated by Extra Inning Softball as the No. 2 pitcher (duo) and No. 5 overall prospect for the class of 2022
• 2020-21 Gatorade Softball Player of the Year for the state of North Carolina
• Two-time Division 1 Female Athlete of the Year, earning the honors in 2021 from Mountain Amateur Athletic Club and in 2020 from the WNC Asheville Citizen Times
• Selected as one of 21 high school juniors to compete in the 2021 PGF Futures All-American Game
• Named Extra Inning Softball's National High School Player of the Week on April 27, 2021 after throwing a perfect game with 17 strikeouts, going 4-for-5 at the plate with two homers and drawing seven intentional walks in three games
• Selected as the WMAC Softball Player of the Year as a freshman in 2019 and WMAC Softball Pitcher of the Year in 2021
• Racked up 207 strikeouts to accompany a staggering 0.41 ERA her junior year, tossing one perfect game and four no-hitters last spring
• Hit .503 at the plate as a junior with 28 runs scored, five home runs, 22 stolen bases and a .764 on-base percentage
• Three-sport standout at NBHS, lettering all four years in softball, basketball and volleyball and earning multiple all-conference honors in all three sports
• Plays travel ball for Carolina Elite SC alongside fellow signees Amanda Ahlin, Brylee Mesusan and Camryn Sarvis

Pickens: "I chose to attend the University of Tennessee because of the amazing family atmosphere, as well as the immediate bond I felt toward the school. I knew it would be a perfect fit for me the first time I saw the campus, and I can't be more excited to continue my academic and softball career at UT."
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Destiny Rodriguez
Live Oak, Texas
Judson HS / Texas Bombers Gold
INF/Catcher / 5-2 / R/R

• Powerful catcher from Judson High School in Live Oak, Texas, about 20 miles from San Antonio
• Rated by Extra Inning Softball as the No. 12 catcher and No. 28 overall prospect for the class of 2022
• Hit .682 with 13 home runs her junior season in 2021, collecting Second Team All-State and First Team All-District honors
• Helped lead the Judson HS Rockets to the Texas 6A State Finals, earning first team All-Tournament honors
• Had 11 home runs in 16 games before her sophomore season was cut short due to COVID-19
• Earned Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-District honors as a freshman in 2019
• Plays travel ball for Texas Bombers Gold and earned a runner-up finish with the club at the 2021 Tier 1 Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series this past summer
• Also helped Texas Bombers to a Texas Fastpitch League title in the fall of 2021
• Has received First Team All-Academic honors the last three years
• Extracurricular activities include a radiology practicum, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Skills USA and the Judson HS student council

Rodriguez: "After talking with the coaches at Tennessee, I knew they would welcome me better than any other program. Once I stepped on campus, I felt at home! Of course I also knew going to the University of Tennessee, we would have a good shot of winning a national championship."
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Camryn Sarvis
Gray, Tennessee
Daniel Boone HS / Carolina Elite SC
First Base / 5-8 / R/R

• Homegrown utility talent from Daniel Boone High School in Northeast Tennessee
• Rated by Extra Inning Softball as the No. 16 first base infielder and No. 101 overall prospect for the class of 2022
• Two-time all-conference honoree for Daniel Boone HS, leading the Trailblazers to a pair of conference titles in 2019 and 2021
• Hit a grand slam to send her high school team to the state tournament this past spring
• Also plays varsity basketball for DBHS and is in the midst of her senior campaign on the hardwood
• Touts a 4.0 GPA and is a member of Beta Club, National Honor Society and the Student Athlete Leadership Club at Daniel Boone
• Lifelong teammates and best friends with Lady Vol signee and classmate Brylee Mesusan
• Plays travel ball for Carolina Elite SC alongside fellow signees Amanda Ahlin, Brylee Mesusan and Karlyn Pickens

Sarvis: "Attending UT has always been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. The family aspect of the program also drew me in. I felt at home immediately once I first talked to the coaches and girls on the team."