By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. — App State softball has added eight newcomers to the 2024-25 roster, head coach Shelly Hoerner announced Wednesday.
“We are very excited about the 2024 class,” Hoerner said. “These eight players will bring the talent needed to keep elevating our program, especially in a tough Sun Belt Conference. They are all high-character individuals which align with our core values. Their team-first mentality and selfless attitude exemplify what we believe in and will help us to continue building our strong culture here on the mountain. All eight players exemplify what we are all about at App State softball: blue-collar, gritty, competitive and ‘all-in’ culture players.”
Mollie Bulla
RHP / Belews Creek, N.C. / Uwharrie Charter Academy
Bulla hails from nearby Belews Creek, N.C., where she has dazzled in the circle for Uwharrie Charter Academy the last three seasons. Bulla led the team in appearances last season, making 16 trips to the circle and posted an exceptional 1.29 ERA. She struck out 137 of the 250 batters she faced, which is good for a 39 percent strikeout percentage, while only walking 21 hitters. Her low walk rate resulted in an extremely low .249 opponent on base percentage, ranking the best on her team. Bulla has also been a force at the plate as she posted a .448 batting average last season in 67 at-bats. She also led the team in home runs, doubles and RBI last season, while posting an .820 slugging percentage, which was better than anyone else on her team by 141 points.
“Mollie is a very competitive right-handed pitcher with late life on her pitches that will keep hitters off balance,” Hoerner said. “She works all quadrants of the zone and will bring a north-to-south element to our staff. Mollie has a high pitching IQ and knows how to tunnel all of her pitches while using her deceptive changeup.”
Julia Girk
OF/UT / Bradenton, Fla. / Parrish Community High School
Girk is a Florida product that has shined on the diamond for Parrish Community High School in Bradenton. She was the District Player of the Year her freshman year, the Bay Made Fast-pitch Player of the Year her junior season and is listed as one of the top utility players in Florida for the class of 2024 as listed in FLVarsity. Girk will bring a nice balance of contact and speed to the High Country as she batted .573 in 82 at-bats while stealing 34 bases in her junior season. For her career, she has totaled 93 hits, 93 runs scored, 60 stolen bases 24 extra-base hits and 37 RBI, while also posting a career batting average of .497 coming into her last season at Parrish.
“Julia is very athletic with a high softball IQ and competes at a very high level,” Hoerner said. “Her athleticism and skillset will help her fit right in and make an immediate impact to our softball program. She has plus speed, is a great defender and can spray the ball all over the field.”
Leah Gore
C / Apex, N.C. / Middle Creek High School
Gore is an Apex, N.C., product that has had a tremendous career at Middle Creek High School, earning SWAC Conference Player of the Year, all-district and all-state honors in her career. Last season, she led her team in batting average by almost 200 points as she smacked 35 hits in 63 plate appearances, good for a .556 batting average. Gore also led the team in extra-base hits, RBI and runs scored in her junior year. Gore has an incredible eye at the plate as she did not strike out a single time last season to post a .600 on base percentage. On the academic side, Gore has been an academic all-conference selection three times, while also being a member of the National Honor Society.
“Leah is a very athletic catcher with a good defensive skill set,” Hoerner said. “She is a very competitive, hardworking softball player who will also bring a consistent bat to our lineup. She has gap-to-gap power, and we are looking for her to drive in a lot of runs for the team. Leah will also bring great leadership for us behind the plate.”
Madison McIntyre
1B / Mt. Juliet, Tenn. / Green Hill High School
McIntyre hails from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., where she helped lead her high school team to an impressive 45-2 record and a state championship in her junior season. She has also been a 2x district champion, a 2x All-District Tournament team selection, a regional champion and a sectional champion during her career. McIntyre carries a strong bat that is capable of producing big-time power to the lineup at any given moment as she slugged .597 last season with 11 extra-base hits for her travel team. For her high school team, McIntyre produced more power with eight home runs, while also being a great run-producer, driving in an impressive 41 runs. She has a keen eye at the plate as she walked more times than she struck out last season, leading to a very high on-base percentage.
“Madison is a great defensive first baseman that brings a powerful left-handed bat to the lineup,” Hoerner said. “She has the ability to spray the gaps and drive the ball out of the yard. We look for her to be a run producer and to make a big impact in our program.”
Lily Proffit
RHP / Boone, N.C. / West Wilkes High School
A hometown product, Proffit comes to App State after compiling several notable accomplishments at West Wilkes High School. She was a three-time Mountain Valley Conference pitcher of the year and the 2022 regional pitcher of the year. She was a 3x MVP of the West Wilkes softball team and was twice named the Chik-fil-A athlete of the year. Proffit pitched to a 1.03 ERA in her junior season at West Wilkes while striking out 182 of the 375 batters she faced, good for a 48.5 strikeout percentage. Proffit has also been a force at the plate in her high school career, as she led her team in multiple hitting categories, including posting an astounding .522 batting average, while also smacking seven home runs and driving in 27 RBI. On the academic side, Proffit was a three-time scholar athlete, garnering that award every year since 2021, while also being an Honors English and Weightlifting student.
“Lily will bring a power arm to the circle and a power bat to the plate,” Hoerner said. “She has the potential to shut an offense down and the power to change a game with one swing. She will strengthen our pitching staff with her ability to spin and spot the ball, while also adding a change of speed to keep opposing hitters off balance.”
Grace Taylor
SS/UT / Downers Grove, Ill. / Downers Grove South High School
Taylor comes from Downers Grove, Ill., where she has played for Downers Grove South High School the past three years. She is a two-time all-conference Player of the Year and was a third team all-state selection in her junior year. Taylor plays travel ball for the Chicago Cheetahs 18U Bowman, where she was coached by Brian Bowman and Shannon Felde. She will bring good power the High Country as she hit 10 home runs last summer for her club team. Taylor is also a capable run-producer as she drove in 66 runs across travel ball and school ball last season while also adding a very high slugging percentage. She is an excellent fielder, playing a variety of positions in the field, compiling a fielding percentage above .900 last season. Taylor will bring a good bat and solid field skills to the High Country.
“Grace is a strong, athletic, versatile athlete that can compete at multiple positions,” Hoerner said. “She has a high softball IQ and has the ability to stay composed when the game speeds up. We look for her to be a consistent hitter with power potential.”
Bel Veradi
LHP / Greensboro, N.C. / Northwest Guilford High School
Veradi comes to Boone out of Northwest Guilford High School in Greensboro, N.C., where she has been a dominant pitcher her first three seasons. She has compiled a 32-7 record in her career, while posting a career 0.51 ERA coming into her senior season. Her sophomore season deserves specific note as Veradi allowed just three earned runs in 115.2 innings pitched, striking out 182 of 424 batters faced. The lefty has allowed just 18 earned runs in her career in 248.1 innings pitched. She sits just 21 strikeouts away from 400 for her career, while only walking 35 hitters over her first three seasons. Last season, Veradi posted 13 complete games and six complete game shutouts and only gave up 12 earned runs.
“Bel will provide a different look to our pitching staff,” Hoerner said. “She is a left-handed pitcher with a lot of movement on her pitches that will keep hitters off balance. She works mainly east-to-west and has great command. Bel loves the game and will bring a team-first mentality to our staff.
Carly White
OF / Winston-Salem, N.C. / Oak Grove High School
White is a nearby Winston-Salem, N.C., product that will bring a strong balance of speed and contact to the High Country. White has stolen 47 career bases and boasts a .429 career batting average over her three seasons at Oak Grove. White is also a solid defender in the outfield that has only committed two errors in her career, playing many of her games in center field. White’s strong bat helped her post a .422 batting average last season in 90 at-bats, while also being a presence on the basepaths as she scored 25 runs. For her career, she has slapped 90 hits and has driven in 35 runs. Her best season came in her sophomore year when she had a slash line of .470/.481/.500, while driving in 17 runs.
“Carly will add plus speed and an ability to utilize her offensive tools to strengthen our team from the left side,” Hoerner said. “Her athleticism, strong arm and defensive skills will add another great addition to our outfield.”
App State is excited to welcome the class of 2024 to the mountain.
