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You could make a good case for several players in each state who should have been listed as the top returning high school softball player for the 2020 season. We’ve attempted to narrow it down to one player per state who will be back for the spring season.
Each player was chosen based on last year’s statistical data provided to MaxPreps, local, state or national honors with input of player rankings by FloSoftball or Extra Innings.
Best high school softball players from each state
Alabama — Shelby Lowe, P, Sr., Pickens Academy (Carrollton)Lowe has been pitching at the varsity level since sixth grade, and averaged 15 strikeouts her junior year.
College: Auburn
Alaska — Sabrina Jolin, P, Jr., South (Anchorage)Named the 2019 Gatorade State Player of the Year. As a sophomore she had 0.65 ERA and hit over .600 with 10 home runs.
College: Undecided
Arizona — Carlie Scupin, 1B, Sr., Tucson High Magnet School (Tucson) Has a career .610 batting average with 117 RBI and 41 home runs. The 2019 Gatorade State Player of the Year had a .783 OBP last spring.
College: Arizona
Arkansas — Hallie Wacaser, OF, Sr., Bentonville West (Centerton)Wacaser has smashed 36 home runs during her three years of high school with a .511 average and 130 RBI.
College: Florida State
California — Nicole May, P, Sr., Foothill (Pleasanton)Returns after leading the Falcons to a 28-0 record last season. She went 24-0 with 14 shutouts, an 0.32 ERA and 246 strikeouts in 151 innings last year. The MaxPreps All-American also batted .463.
College: Oklahoma
ColoradoSeason in the fall.
Connecticut — Madison Procyk, P, Sr., Masuk (Monroe)Procyk returns for her senior season and looks to lead the Panthers to their third straight title after being named to the CHSCA All-State team.
College: Amherst
Delaware — Taylor Vitola, SS, Sr., Appoquinimink (West Middletown)The Gatorade State Player of the Year from 2019 returns after hitting .603 with 24 stolen bases.
College: UNC Wilmington
Florida — Avery Goelz, IF, Sr., Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton)Had 16 games with two or more hits and hit in 29 of 31 games. The three-time MaxPreps All-American hit .543 last season.
College: Florida
GeorgiaSeason in the fall
Hawaii — Ailana Agbayani, MIF, So., 'Iolani (Honolulu)Ailiana's oldest sister, Aleia, was the 2019 Gatorade State Player of the Year and now plays for Cal. Former major leaguer Benny Agbayani's youngest daughter has the talent to be special the next three seasons and beyond.
College: Undecided
Idaho — Oakleigh Kearby, P, Sr., Mountain View (Meridian)Went 19-2 last spring striking out 161 while also hitting .492 with three home runs.
College: Colorado State University-Pueblo
Illinois — Bailey Dowling, IF, Sr., St. Joseph-OgdenEnters season as the state career home run leader with 65. In 2019, she batted .674 and blasted 22 home runs. The three-time MaxPreps All-American had a .760 OBP.
College: Alabama
Hit over .400 all three years at the varsity level. She clubbed 11 home runs her freshman year and has now doubled that total. Opposing teams have worked around her as she has 54 career walks.
College: Washington
Iowa — Maren Judisch, P, Sr., Des Moines Christian (Des Moines)The first Iowa player Baylor has ever recruited. Extra Innings Softball has her ranked as one of the top 100 players in the Class of 2020.
College: Baylor
Kansas — Tatum Clopton, P, Jr., Lawrence Free State (Lawrence)The returning Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year award winner and MaxPreps All-American led the Firebirds to a 23-2 record and second-straight 6A state championship.
College: Oklahoma State
Kentucky — Riley Hull, C, Jr., Pulaski County (Somerset)Followed up a very good freshman year with an even better sophomore year, hitting .620 with 42 RBI.
College: Mississippi State
Louisiana — Olivia Lackie, P, Sr., HoldenHas led the Rockets to three-straight Class B titles. As a junior she went 21-2 with a 0.55 ERA. She can also swing a bat and hit .452.
College: South Alabama

Summer Clark, Williamsville East
File photo by Michael McLaughlin
Maine — Bella Dickinson, P, Sr., ScarboroughThe senior hurler is 60-0 with three state titles in her high school career.
College: Southern New Hampshire University
Maryland — Madison Penta, P, Sr., Bohemia Manor (Chesapeake City)One of the top pitchers, if not the top, in the Class of 2020. She tossed a no hitter and tied a state championship record with 19 strikeouts in her final outing as a junior.
College: Auburn
Massachusetts — Giana Lacedra, P, So., LowellNamed the Massachusetts 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year award winner as a freshman. The now-sophomore went 20-2 overall with a 1.00 ERA.
College: Undecided
Went 26-2 last spring, struck out 351 and was named Michigan State Player of the Year after winning a second-straight state title.
College: Wisconsin
Minnesota — Brynn Hostettler, P, Jr., NorthfieldEnters her junior year as a star pitcher after striking out 267 and finishing with a 0.81 ERA last season.
College: Minnesota
Mississippi — Paige Kilgore, P, Jr., HoustonA varsity pitcher since she was a seventh-grader. Kilgore has 67 career wins with 485 punch outs with two more seasons remaining.
College: Undecided
Missouri Season in the fall
Montana — Anna Toon, P, Sr., Great FallsNamed the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year winner, she helped the Bison win their second consecutive Class AA state championship. Fanned 114 batters in 100 innings last spring.
College: Undecided
Nevada — Kailee Luschar, 2B, Sr., Carson (Carson City)Luschar has hit above .460 in all three seasons for the Senators. As a junior she hit .579 with four home runs and 35 stolen bases.
College: Arizona State
New Hampshire — Sam Wilberg, P, Sr., ExeterNamed the D-I Pitcher of the Year in 2019, she enters the spring with 390 career strikeouts and capped last spring with the school's first state title.
College: Undecided
New Jersey — Karina Gaskins, IF, Sr., Donovan Catholic (Toms River)NJ.Com's Player of the Year and Gatorade award winner batted .642 and hit 19 home runs last spring.
College: Notre Dame
New Mexico — Rylee Crandall, P, So., ArtesiaSelected as a MaxPreps Underclass All-American in 2019, she went 22-1 with a 0.61 ERA. She also batted .411 with 13 homers.
College: Undecided
New York — Summer Clark, P, Jr., Williamsville East (East Amherst)The Class A player of the year led the Flames to a 27-0 season and was named a 2019 MaxPreps All-American.
College: Missouri
North Carolina — Jala Wright, P, Sr., Providence Day (Charlotte)A utility player for the Chargers, she struck out 145 batters and also hit .542 at the plate.
College: Michigan State
North Dakota — Logan Gronberg, P, So., Bismarck The 2019 Gatorade State Player of the Year did it all, going 26-3 in the circle and also hitting 15 home runs.
College: Undecided
Ohio — Allison Smith, P, Sr., Champion (Warren)Won 16 games as a pitcher and hit 18 home runs at the plate as she looks to win a fourth-straight state title.
College: Ohio State
OklahomaSeason in the fall
Oregon — Alyssa Daniell, 1B, Sr., ClackamasHit over .650 as a sophomore and was named the Class 6A softball player of the year. She came back her junior year with another solid season batting .500.
College: Stanford
Pennsylvania — Brianna Peck, P, Jr., Spring-Ford (Royersford)The state Gatorade Award winner shut opponents down as a pitcher and also hit over .500.
College: Virginia Tech
Rhode Island — Haley Venturini, P, Jr., Scituate (North Scituate)Went 13-1 with an 0.16 ERA and 235 strikeouts that included six no hitters.
College: Undecided
South Carolina — Alyssa Poston, P, So., HartsvilleWent 20-0 in the circle and struck 171 in 171 innings as the team went 29-0 last spring.
College:
South DakotaDoes not play high school softball
Tennessee — Autumn Belviy, OF, Sr., ArlingtonHas speed and the bat to give defenses trouble with a career .400 batting average.
College: Florida State
Texas — Jayda Coleman, IF, Sr., The ColonyBatted .717 in 157 plate appearances as a junior. The three-time MaxPreps All-American walked 32 times, hit 10 home runs and stole 72 bases.
College: Oklahoma
Utah — Attlyn Johnston, P, Jr., Tooele Named the 4A MVP in 2019 and finished junior season with a 0.45 ERA while striking out 288.
College: Undecided
Vermont — Anna Borrazzo, P, Sr., South BurlingtonA returning first-team Metro player, she tossed a perfect game last year that also included a 4-for-4 day at the plate with a home run and two doubles.
College: Undecided
Virginia — Taylor Nicholson, SS, Sr., Warhill (Williamsburg)The Missouri commit hit .605 as a junior. Blasted 11 home runs as a freshman.
College: Missouri
Washington — Raigan Barrett, IF, Sr., Rogers (Puyallup)She has a .629 OBP and .540 career average during her first three prep seasons for the Rams.
College: Washington
West Virginia — Delani Bucker, P, Sr., Hoover (Clendenin)Back after posting a 20-1 overall record in the circle, she also batted .495.
College: Appalachian State
Wisconsin — Casey Fountain, P, Sr., Poynette Picked as the top player in Capital North Conference Player of the Year in 2019, she finished with a 0.21 ERA in 133 innings. She also hit .545.
College: Undecided
WyomingSoftball starting in 2021

Raigan Barrett, Rogers
File photo by Lee Maples