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Longwood Head Softball Coach Dr. Megan Brown recently announced the signing of multiple players in the early signing period.

These nine student-athletes will join the Lancers in the fall of 2024: Sadie Armstrong, Brooke Bennett, Bailey Bucholz, Natalia Colone, Natalie Paradise, Sophia Pisacano, Mallory Sanders, Peyton Simmons, and Sarah Kate Terrel.

“It is our great pleasure to welcome the 2024 recruiting class to the Longwood Softball Family,” said Brown. “They are amazing young ladies and truly demonstrate the qualities of hard work, determination and a pursuit of excellence, both on and off the field, that are a hallmark of Longwood softball. We look forward to welcoming them to campus next fall.”

Sadie Armstrong

6’0 | P/1B

Portland, Maine

Portland High School

Armstrong will head to Farmville following her time as a two-way player at Portland High School in Portland, Maine. She is ranked No. 76 overall and No. 50 as a pitcher/duo in the class of 2024 by EIS and was a Gatorade Player of the Year State Finalist.

She holds the career home run record for her high school, and she hit better than .400 in each of her first three seasons. She has been an all-state selection as well as a team captain and an all-conference first team selection while being a three-time team MVP.

As a freshman, she hit .417 with five homers, 17 RBI and a 1.263 OPS. Plus, she posted a 3.35 ERA with 115 strikeouts as a pitcher. Her numbers improved as a sophomore, when she hit .451 with four homers and a 1.344 OPS. She notched a 2.32 ERA with 101 strikeouts in the circle. She didn’t pitch as a junior, but she still hit .468 with three homers and a 1.337 OPS.

In travel ball, she pitched for a championship win in the inaugural ProSwings Power 50 with Firecrackers Sewell Bordeau, and she helped Central Mass Voodoo Asadoorian win the Massachusetts State Championship. She was the co-National Player of the Week Runner-Up with Maya Brady after swatting six home runs and batting .857 (14-16) with 16 RBI to go with a 2-0 record in the circle.

Off the field, she was an all-academic team selection, and she is a member of the National Honor Society. She spends time coaching and umpiring in little leagues and also volunteers at pitching clinics.

Brooke Bennett

5’8 | C/3B

Crestwood, Kentucky

North Oldham High School

Bennett will come to Longwood after her time at North Oldham High School in Crestwood, Kentucky.

An All-Eighth Region Team selection last year as a junior, she hit .480 with a 1.369 OPS. She swatted five homers, seven triples and nine doubles as a team captain. She also earned a spot on the 29th District Tournament Team.

In both her freshman and sophomore seasons, she posted a batting average above .400 and an OPS above 1.000. She was named to the 29th District Tournament Team as a freshman as well.

A two-sport athlete, she also lettered in volleyball four times, and she earned a spot on the American Volleyball Coaches Association Best and Brightest First Team. She was also a member of the National Honor Society and a first team academic all-state selection.

Bailey Bucholz

5’9 | 3B, C, SS

Mechanicsville

Atlee High School

Bucholz will join the Lancers following her time at Atlee High School in Mechanicsville, Virginia. She played softball all four years while also lettering in both basketball and track.

A team captain as a junior and headed into the spring, she earned second team all-region honors as a junior while earning the slugger award for the highest batting average. She hit .423 with a 1.069 OPS.

She helped Unity-Johnson win the 2021 USA Nationals and PGF Nationals in 2021 in travel ball, and she won the Fall 18U NC State Championship and Summer 2023 VA State Championship with Hornest-Baulsir.

An honor roll student, she is a member of the National Honor Society, and she volunteers both at youth softball camps and with the elections office in Hanover County.

Natalia Colone

5’4 | OF/UTL

Clifton Park, New York

Shenendehowa Central High School

Colone will head to Longwood after graduating from Shenendehowa Central High School in Clifton Park, New York. She has been a starter on the diamond throughout her four years there.

She helped her team finish second in the New York State Tournament in 2023 after winning the conference, section and region as well. She also won the conference and sectional title in 2020.

In her junior year last year, she hit .875 during the tournament run to the state finals by going 14-16 at the plate. She drove in five RBI with a six-game hitting streak as well.

In travel ball, she has played with the VA Glory National 18U Willessem team and helped them to an Alliance Nationals berth as well as a Super Cup berth. She hit the game-winning grand slam to earn the Super Club berth. She is hitting .333. She also won championships with Stars National Coleman Gold 18U and Stars National Coleman 16U.

Also an honor roll student, she is a member of the National Honor Society who volunteers both as an assistant coach for a local 10U team as well at the Captain Food Pantry.

Natalie Paradise

5’2 | OF/UTL

Dorchester, South Carolina

Woodland High School

Paradise will come to Longwood following her time at Woodland High School in Dorchester, South Carolina.

An all-state honoree in 2023, she batted .547 with one home run, 15 RBI and 30 stolen bases. In her freshman and sophomore seasons, she was named the offensive player of the year.

As a freshman, she hit .475 with nine RBI and 12 stolen bases. She bumped her batting average up to .562 as a sophomore with two homers, 14 RBI and 17 stolen bases without getting caught. She earned all-region honors in 2022 as well.

Paradise was a member of the National Honor Society, where she served as the treasurer at her school, and she was also the treasurer for student government for three years.

Sophia Pisacano

5’3 | OF/INF

Albertson, New York

Herricks High School

Pisacano will join the Lancers after her time at Herricks High School in Albertson, New York.

She earned all-county honors last spring as a junior after hitting .500 in 60 at bats. She scored 18 runs and hit four doubles and four triples while posting eight RBI.

As a freshman, she posted a .703 batting average in 37 at bats with 24 RBI and 16 walks to only one strikeout. She hit .396 as a sophomore over 53 at bats with seven extra-base hits.

A member of the music honors program at Herricks High School, Pisacano also volunteers her time as a part of the program.

Mallory Sanders

6’0 | Pitcher

Wesson, Mississippi

Wesson Attendance Center

Sanders will come to Longwood following her time at Wesson Attendance Center in Wesson, Mississippi.

A decorated softball player, she has helped her team to back-to-back district titles while also earning a spot on the MAIS Fastpitch Allstar Team last season. She was named MVP of the 1A-3A MAIS Fastpitch Allstar Team as well.

She earned those accolades, in addition to an all-region nod, on the strength of a 3.6 ERA as a junior in 116 innings of work. She struck out 223 batters in 25 games. Sanders also stepped up at the plate and notched a .528 batting average in 83 plate appearances while driving in 37 runs and only striking out one time.

As a sophomore, she also earned an all-region spot while posting a 3.0 ERA in 82.1 innings of work. She struck out 141 batters over 15 appearances in the circle. She hit three homers at the plate in 44 at bats while batting .364.

An honor roll student, she has volunteered at a variety of places, including Reach One Student Ministries as well as with Operation Christmas Child.

Peyton Simmons

5’8 | Outfield

Glen Allen

Glen Allen High School

Simmons will join the Lancers following her time at Glen Allen High School, where she will wrap up her senior season this coming spring as a four-year member of the team.

She was hurt as a junior, but she posted a .436 batting average as a sophomore to earn an all-region selection for a second straight season. She will also be a team captain this upcoming spring.

A two-sport athlete, Simmons also runs indoor track, with her second year coming this spring.

An honors and AP student, Simmons has served as a volunteer softball and gymnastics coach as well.

Sarah Kate Terrell

5’2 | C/UTL

Sherrills Ford, North Carolina

Lincoln Charter School

Terrell will head to Longwood following her time at Lincoln Charter School. The Sherrills Ford, North Carolina native has had a decorated career while there.

In her three seasons, she has struck out a total of three times at the plate while earning all-state honors in each of her first three seasons. She also was named the conference player of the year, team MVP, team captain and talon award winner in that stretch.

As a junior, she batted .643 with no strikeouts. She also hit above .600 as a freshman when she batted .639 without striking out as well.

An A-honor roll student, she has earned the presidential community service award bronze medal. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.