Softball Adds Nine Incoming Freshmen
5/28/2024 10:15:00 AM | Softball
DENTON, Texas – UNT softball head coach Rodney DeLong added nine incoming freshmen to his roster, the program announced on Tuesday.
The nine-player class bolsters a roster that includes former conference award winners Skylar Savage, Cierra Simon and Tatum Sparks. In 2024, UNT collected its fourth-consecutive season with 30 or more wins and fifth of the DeLong era. The Mean Green finished 32-24 and advanced to the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Championship in its first season as a member of the league.
Five of the UNT newcomers hail from Texas with outfielder Katy Brock (Kemp), pitcher Caydance Gaddis (McKinney), catcher Rylie Harris (Forney), infielder Matti Matthews (Santa Fe) and outfielder Taylor Platt (Argyle).
The Mean Green welcomed fellow reinforcements from around the country with pitcher Shelby Buffington from Tennessee, infielder Ausha Moore from Oklahoma, pitcher/utility Gracie Maloney from Michigan and catcher Sofia Schow from California.
Additional information on each of the nine players can be found below.
Katy Brock | OF | L/R | 5'9" | Kemp, Texas | Mabank High School | Texas Glory
Prior to UNT: Four-year letter winner at Mabank High School … Named honorable mention all-county and academic all-district as a freshman … Helped the Panthers win back-to-back district championships with a regional quarterfinal appearance in 2022 … Member of the National Honor Society … 2023 UCA All-American Cheerleader … Played travel ball for Texas Glory and head coach Erik Wood.
Shelby Buffington | RHP | R/R | 5'11" | Franklin, Tenn. | Page High School | Epic Fastpitch
Prior to UNT: Four-year letter winner at Page High School … Tallied over 600 career strikeouts … 2023 First Team All-Region … 2023 District 8-AAA Pitcher of the Year … Four-time all-district performer … Led the Patriots to the 2023 Region 4-AAA final … Played travel ball for Epic Fastpitch and head coach Scotty Smith along with UNT newcomers Caydance Gaddis, Taylor Platt and Rylie Harris.
Caydance Gaddis | RHP | R/R | 5'8" | McKinney, Texas | McKinney High School | Epic Fastpitch
Prior to UNT: Four-year letter winner at McKinney High School … In 2024, she led the Lions to its first playoff berth since 2016 … Broke her own single-season program record with 273 strikeouts as a senior … Finished as the program's career leader in strikeouts … Named all-district MVP as a senior … Four time all-district first team honoree … Named to the 2024 district all-academic team … Played travel ball for Epic Fastpitch and head coach Scotty Smith along with UNT teammates Madison Conley, Shelby Buffington, Taylor Platt and Rylie Harris.
Rylie Harris | C | R/R | 5'8" | Forney, Texas | Forney High School | Epic Fastpitch
Prior to UNT: Four-year letter winner at Forney High School … Led the Jackrabbits to three-consecutive district titles … Two-time DFW Fastpitch All-Metroplex team selection, first team as a junior … Three-time all-district honoree … Named District 13-5A Co-Newcomer of the Year in 2021 … Listed as No. 274 on the Extra Inning Softball Extra Elite Class of 2024 … Honored as an academic all-district selection as a junior … Played travel ball for Epic Fastpitch and head coach Scotty Smith along with UNT newcomers Shelby Buffington, Caydance Gaddis and Taylor Platt.
Gracie Maloney | P/UT | R/R | 6'0" | Macomb, Mich. | Macomb Dakota High School | Turnin2 Softball
Prior to UNT: Four-year letter winner at Macomb Dakota High School … Helped the Cougars advance to the 2022 state championship final as a sophomore … Led Dakota to four consecutive Macomb Area Conference Red titles … Struck out 21 batters over seven innings on May 1, 2023 … Garnered all-region, all-county, all-league and all-district honors as a pitcher and shortstop … Listed as No. 30 on the Extra Inning Softball Extra Elite 100 in Oct. 2023 … Played three years of varsity basketball at Dakota … Named to the county All-Defensive Team in basketball as a junior … Played travel ball with Turnin2 Softball for her father and head coach Shawn Maloney … Named Alliance Heart of America League Player of the Month in July 2022 … Her uncle, Rich Maloney, is the current head baseball coach at Ball State University.
Matti Matthews | IF | L/R | 5'6" | Santa Fe, Texas | Alvin High School | Texas Strykers
Prior to UNT: Three-year letter winner at Alvin High School … Represented Region 5 at the USA Softball All-American Games in 2019 along with fellow UNT teammate Taylor Platt … As a senior, she led the Yellowjackets to the 6A regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2019 … In the circle, she recorded over 300 career strikeouts at Alvin … Garnered Honorable Mention 6A All-State honors as a sophomore … 2022 District 23-6A Newcomer of the Year … Named first team all-district as a junior and senior … 2023 Academic All-District … Played travel ball for Texas Strykers and head coach Charlie Esparza … Listed No. 16 on the Extra Inning Softball Extra Elite 100 in Sept. 2021.
Ausha Moore | IF | R/R | 5'9" | Del City, Oklahoma | Carl Albert High School | Demarini Aces
Prior to UNT: Four-year letter winner at Carl Albert High School … Led the Titans to four consecutive 5A state tournament appearances, including a second-place finish as a freshman … Member of the 2023 Oklahoma High School Fastpitch Coaches Association 5A All-State Team … Two-time district player of the year … Three-time Big All-City performer by The Oklahoman … Three-time all-district shortstop … Four-year member of the varsity basketball team … Helped the Titans advance to the state basketball tournament as a senior … Won numerous basketball awards, including an honorable mention all-state selection in 2024 … Recipient of the Mike Gaddis Character Scholarship … Played travel ball for Demarini Aces and head coach Ryan Taylor.
Taylor Platt | OF | L/R | 5'11" | Argyle, Texas | Argyle High School | Epic Fastpitch
Prior to UNT: Four-year letter winner at Argyle High School … Helped the Eagles advance to the 4A regional finals in 2021 and 2022 … Three-time first team all-district selection … Awarded Denton Record-Chronicle All-Area Best of the Rest honors as a sophomore … Two-time district all-academic team member … Represented Region 5 at the USA Softball All-American Games in 2019 along with fellow UNT teammate Matti Matthews … Played travel ball for Epic Fastpitch and head coach Scotty Smith along with UNT newcomers Shelby Buffington, Caydance Gaddis and Rylie Harris … Ranked No. 64 on the Extra Inning Softball Extra Elite 100 in Oct. 2023.
Sofia Schow | C | R/R | 5'8" | Corona, Calif. | Norco High School | BSC Bengals
Prior to UNT: Two-year letter winner at Norco High School … Named Academic All-League as a sophomore and junior … Four-year honor roll member at Norco … Awarded academic medals in language arts and math … Ranked as a top 100 catcher by Extra Inning Softball … Played travel ball for BSC Bengals and head coach Ken Briggs … Named team captain of BSC Bengals 18U.
