Maybe the Lady Louisville Sluggers – Huecker/Norwood team should change their uniform colors from Black & Red to Blue & White.

That way, half the team will be used to those colors when they head to Lexington, Ky. to play for the Kentucky Wildcats softball team.

The two Bluegrass State cities – Louisville and Lexington – are only about an hour and 20 minutes apart, but the instate club program has become a nice feeder program for UK as five current Sluggers players are committed to play in the near future at the SEC school

Over the weekend pitcher Courtney Norwood, ranked No. 7 in the recently released Line Drive HOT 100 and a junior at South Warren (Bowling Green, Ky.), and catcher Tori Hahn, ranked No. 27 in the HOT 100 and a junior at Alcoa (Tenn.) High, both committed to Kentucky on their official visits.

That duo joins a trio of Lady Sluggers who had gave their commitments to Wildcats Head Coach Rachel Lawson last year:

* McLaine Hudson, a 2026 infielder and Team USA member who also attends South Warren (Bowling Green, Ky.) High where Courtney goes and is a new addition to the team this Fall. The Kentucky Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2025, she committed to Kentucky last October and this summer was named a Line Drive Softball High School All-American.

* Annie Newman, a 2026 shortstop at Daviess County (Owensboro, Ky.) who received the 2025 ESPN Owensboro Softball Player of the year and 1st team All-State honors and was ranked No. 10 in the 2026 HOT 100.

* Brynley Erb, a 2026 shortstop who attends Western (Russiaville, Ind.) High was the 2024-2025 Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year. She was ranked No. 8 in the 2026 HOT 100.

Committed!! 💙🤍😸@UKsoftball @UKCoachLawson @sluggers_16U @WHS_Softball_1 pic.twitter.com/K9JIwcVmNy

— Brynley Erb (@brynleyerb14) October 4, 2024

Interestingly, Courtney and Tori–the newest member of the Lady Sluggers team–had never met prior to their campus visit this weekend but quickly became good friends.

“Tori and Courtney first met while on their official visit at UK,” Coach Norwood said. “The two hit it off great and had that instant bond.”

Both athletes mentioned how much their future coaches impressed them:

 “I loved the coaching staff and the way they interacted with the players,” Tori raved, “as well as the team chemistry. I just loved the environment at UK.”

Courtney added:

“I also love the coaching staff and the team chemistry plus how they use a pitching staff. It was very important to me to attend a school that offered my major–I want to study communication disorders, with a master’s in speech language pathology–plus I get to stay in my home state and play in front of the best fans.”

Coach Norwood is impressed how the two 2027 standouts have bonded so quickly.

“They didn’t know each other before this weekend, although they have played against each other over the years as Tori played for the Lady Lightning program. They hit it off great, and you would have never known they just met.”

Add them to the threesome of the current seniors, McClaine, Annie and Brynley, and you have quite the influx of great talent coming from one travel ball program.

“Those other three,” Coach Norwood said referring to the 2026 grads, “are amazing athletes and their resumes speaks volumes for themselves. It’s going to be an exciting Fall and Summer to see everyone play together, get to know one another and start building relationships.”

“I am pumped about this upcoming season.”

And so will be University of Kentucky softball fans who will get to see many of their future players on just one Lady Sluggers team in the 2025-26 campaign.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball