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ATLANTA – Head coach Becca Owens announced the addition of seven signees to the 2027 softball roster on signing day Thursday.
“We are extremely happy with the 2026 signing class,” Coach Owens said. “This is a special group of players that showcase a wide variety of skills and characteristics that set them apart. Each one of them has an opportunity to make an immediate impact upon the program and our success in the Sun Belt Conference in 2027.”
Ava Voris | Pitcher | Mobile, Ala. | St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Voris is ranked No. 30 nationally by Line Drive Media for the Class of 2026. She has competed for the National Team and SoCal Athletics for three years, as well as the Greek National Softball Team. She was a 2024 AFON runner-up and earned Tournament Most Outstanding Pitcher honors at the 2022 USSSA National Championship. During her five-year varsity career at St. Paul’s Episcopal, Voris was named to the Lagniappe 2A-5A Softball All-Area Team three times, the Mobile County Softball All-County Team three times, the Alabama Softball All-State Team as a junior and AL.com’s Softball Terrific 22. During her junior season, Voris compiled a batting average of .534 with a .607 on-base percentage, tallying 47 hits, including 23 singles, 15 doubles, 2 triples and 7 home runs, with 43 RBIs, 39 runs scored, 14 walks, 8 strikeouts, and 15 stolen bases. On the mound, she has accumulated 337 strikeouts throughout her career, pitching over 126 innings in her junior year with a 2.8 ERA.
Kaydee Brown | Pitcher | Dekalb, Texas | Dekalb ISD
This fall, Brown threw 11 innings with 13 strikeouts and a 0.5 ERA, holding opponents to a .120 average. As a junior, she dominated with 157 innings pitched, 280 strikeouts, and a 1.3 ERA, while also hitting .475 with 10 home runs and a .907 slugging percentage to earn District MVP honors. Her sophomore campaign featured a 2.7 ERA and 182 strikeouts in 117 innings, alongside a .466 average at the plate, while as a freshman she earned Pitcher of the Year with a 1.2 ERA and .375 batting average. Brown’s all-around production highlights her as one of Texas’ top two-way players.
Addy Ballard | Catcher/Utility | West Des Moines, Iowa | Valley HS
This fall, Ballard hit .481, recording six singles, one double, one triple, and five home runs, driving in 14 RBIs while making 41 putouts and posting a 1.148 slugging percentage. Over her high school career, she has tallied 35 singles, 15 doubles, 11 home runs, and 49 RBIs. Ballard’s stellar play has earned her recognition as a 2025 State Qualifier, 2025 Second Team All-State selection, and a 2025 All-District honoree.
Lauren Kyranakis | INF/Utility | Hoschton, Ga. | Hebron Christian Academy
Kyranakis helped powered Hebron Christian to state runner-up finishes in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and back-to-back region championships. This fall, she hit .427 with a .559 on-base percentage, tallying 41 hits, 14 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, and 41 RBIs. Her travel ball success includes a 2025 Scenic City Championship and a runner-up finish at the 2025 Alliance Open Nationals with SoCal National, as well as multiple PGF and Atlanta Legacy titles with Georgia Bombers National. A First Team All-Region and GADC Senior All-State selection, Kyranakis has amassed 112 career hits and 113 runs scored just in her 2023 season alone.
Madelyn Madden | Outfielder | Acworth, Ga. | North Paulding HS
Madden has been a four-year varsity starter and helped lead North Paulding to three Elite Eight appearances and back-to-back Region Championships. Over her career, she earned All-State (2025) and multiple All-Region honors. This season, she hit .407 with a .510 on-base percentage, recording 35 hits, including eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, and 19 RBIs. Her steady production is evident through her previous seasons, including a .500 batting average and .569 OBP in 2024 and a .405 average in 2023.
Skylar Starks | Outfielder | Kennesaw, Ga. | North Cobb HS
A four-year varsity starter, Starks has been instrumental in leading North Cobb to three consecutive regional titles and Final Four state finishes (2022–2025). During the spring and summer of 2025, she maintained a .350 batting average and stole 30 bases. Her travel ball résumé includes a Top-25 finish in the Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series, a Top-5 Gold Cup Series finish, and a 2025 Peach State Alliance Qualifier appearance. Starks has earned First Team All-Region (2025), All-County (2024), and Second Team All-Region (2023) honors, along with USSSA All-American recognition (2021).
Jadyn Johnson | Pitcher/Infielder | Englewood, Ohio | Northmont HS
Johnson has built an impressive career as a two-sport varsity standout, recording over 60 career home runs and maintaining a .400 career batting average. A Top-100 Line Drive Watch List selection and S30 participant, Johnson has been recognized across her high school tenure with multiple All-Conference and All-District honors. She earned Athlete of the Month as a junior, and as a senior, was named Co-Conference Player of the Year, District 15 Player of the Year, and a Senior All-Star selection.
“I’m proud of the coaching staff and how hard they’ve worked to put together such a dynamic class.” Coach Owens stated. “With the majority of the class being out of state, there has certainly been a ton of intention to build a class as dynamic as this one. We can’t wait to get them on campus and have them officially a part of our Panther family.”
