Carolina Elite head coach Dana Fusetti remembers the first time she saw 2028 corner infielder Harper Sugg.

“Coach Ebony Waters, my coaching angel and assistant coach, brought Harper to me and said ‘We have to get this athlete’ and I believe because of her we did.”

“Today, Harper is known to me as our ‘Gentle Giant” on this team.  She has an intimidating presence at 6-foor-1, sure, with a huge bat, yet she is also one of the kindest and most humble competitors you will ever meet. “

Ranked No. 31 in this week’s cycle of the 2028 Line Drive Media HOT 100, is hasn’t all been easy for the athlete, who has had to deal with the heartbreaking loss of her father within the last year.

Coach Fusetti saw this and how Harper persevered through these dark and painful times.

“What impresses me most–besides her talent on the field—is how she continued pursuing her dream of attending Liberty University even while enduring the passing of her father.”

“Liberty has always been her dream school, and I could not be more excited to watch her play for Coach Dot Richardson who, as a child myself was my idol (I was shaking the first time I met her!) and one of my all-time favorite coaches.”

“Harper consistently allows God’s light to shine through her, both on and off the field, and I am incredibly proud of how she embraced all the challenges, including playing for an intense coach like me, and how she has used each one to become a stronger, more resilient athlete.”

“Harper has truly earned this opportunity, and we are all so proud of her!”

Here’s a closer look at the 2028 standout…

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Name: Harper Sugg
Position(s): 1B/3B
High School (City/ST): Oak Grove High School (Winston Salem, N.C.)
Club Team: Carolina Elite National 16U – Fusetti
Grad Year: 2028
Committed To: Liberty University
Date Committed: September 1, 2026

Academic Achievements:
Honors/AP classes, Honor Roll, National Honor Society, Top Student Health Science 1, Top Student in AP US Government & Politics.

Athletic Achievements:
Softball: 2025… All Conference, 2025 & 2026 NCCSCA (North Carolina) All District & All State; 2026… All Conference, High School Rising Star of the Year (Class of 2028), 2026 USA HPP invitee; Oak Grove High varsity basketball

Sophomore (2026) Stats:
Batting average of .534 in 88 at-bats with a .568 on-base percentage, a 1.432 OPS and a .864 slugging percentage. Totaled 47 hits with three home runs, five triples and 10 doubles. Only two strikeouts all season.

*****

What’s been a top softball experience or two in your career?

One of my most memorable softball experiences came during my sophomore season in the second round of the state playoffs.

We were down 7–3 in the top of the fifth inning and had not scored since the second inning.

I led off the inning with an opposite-field home run to cut the deficit to 7–4. While the home run only brought us one run closer, I am most proud of the fact that it sparked the rally we needed to eventually come back and win the game 9–8.

That moment taught me the importance of staying confident and competing regardless of the situation.

Another memorable softball experience came during my 12U Little League All-Star game, when I hit a walk-off inside-the-park grand slam. It was an exciting moment that I will always remember and one that reinforced how much I love competing in big moments with my teammates!

How did your Liberty first find you to start the recruiting process?

I had been going to Liberty’s camps every year since the 8th grade.

I would try to make a point to get noticed even just a little bit at each camp in a way that I hoped would be memberable, but being shy and quiet that goal sometimes felt like a mountain!

I stayed consistent with my training and also worked on the areas they wanted to see improvement. Then, I would follow up with the coaches throughout the year noting improvements and game film. 

When did they offer you a scholarship?

Monday night, September 1, 2026! 

When and how did you commit and what were the circumstances of what most have been a magical moment?

I probably would have accepted the moment Coach Dot got the words out of her mouth!

Liberty was my No. 1, 2, and 3 (probably 4 and 5 too!) choice of schools that I wanted to not only compete at, but to learn and grow too.

No one ever accused me of having a great poker face, but I held it together as best as I could. We ended the call with the expectation that my mom and I would discuss the offer and get back to her by the next morning.

Liberty checked ALL the boxes for me, but I still wanted to know what my Mom thought before making any decisions.

We didn’t have to talk long, I called Coach Dot back after maybe 45 minutes and declared myself a Flame!

What was it about the school/program that made you decide it was the place for you? Did you have an “a ha” moment where it suddenly was obviously the right place for you?

The first time, before I visited Liberty’s campus for a camp, I honestly wasn’t interested in Liberty at all.

My mom encouraged me to give it a chance and simply see how it went.

However, the moment I stepped onto the field, I was filled with a sense of awe and excitement. I immediately fell in love with the coaching staff, the facilities, and the beautiful campus.

From that very first moment, I felt God telling me that this was where I was meant to be.

Since that first camp, I have done everything I could to pursue the opportunity to play at Liberty, and I truly believe God has placed me in the right situations and surrounded me with the right people to help lead me here.

I love everything about the school and the softball program.

Most importantly, I love that Liberty provides an environment where I can grow not only as an athlete and student, but also in my faith.

Looking back, that first moment on the field was truly my “aha” moment, and I knew there was something special about Liberty.

What did they say they liked about your game enough to offer you?

I’m sure my size, being 6-foot-1, has a lot to do with the offer and they liked the way I swung the bat.

Speaking of swing the bat, here’s Harper during a hitting workout…

Who helped you in your softball decision?

My mom, coaches, and players that had already gone through the process gave me tons of good advice.

Coach Dana, Coach Ebony and Coach Ejan (Fusetti) always had great advice to give on the whole process and I had to keep reminding myself that there are ups and downs, but I am not defined by how I play.

No matter how well I play, or how bad, at the end of the game I am still His and have been created for a greater purpose.

Enjoy the ride, it goes fast!

Do you know yet what you will study in college? What you’d like to do for a career after school/softball is over?

I am planning on majoring in Biomedical Sciences and would love to be an anesthesiologist after school and softball! 

Do you have other family members who do or have played sports?

My cousin is a 2027 baseball commit to Texas A&M, and my uncle and great-uncle played professional baseball.

What top tournaments/events will you and your team be playing in next year (2027)?

This fall my team, Carolina Elite 16u National Fusetti, will be playing in the Alliance Qualifier in Richmond, Va, Ray Seymour Invitational in Lakeland, Fla, Show Me The Money in Newberry, Fa, Scenic City T25 in Dalton, Ga, and the Clearwater Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.

What’s something about you off the field that not many know?

Something that many people may not know about me off the field is how much I love spending time with the Lord and my family.

I am a big family person, and I love being around my family and making memories with them.

My faith is also a huge part of who I am. I am an FCA leader at my high school, where I have the opportunity to help with large-group meetings and lead girls through small groups, prayer, and studying the Bible.

Outside of softball, I am also a member of my high school’s varsity basketball team and I also have a strong passion for serving others. Whether it’s picking up trash after a football game, helping someone find their class, running an errand for someone, or simply helping wherever I am needed, I genuinely enjoy serving others.

I try to live with a servant’s heart and look for opportunities to make a difference, even in the smallest ways.

What do you love most about softball?

What I love most about softball is the feeling I get when I step between the two white lines.

It’s a combination of passion, competitiveness, gratitude, and pure joy.  I’m incredibly grateful that God has given me the opportunity to continue playing the sport I love at the next level.

The moment I step onto the field, everything else fades away, and I’m able to focus on competing, having fun, and giving everything I have to the game and, in turn, to God.

Softball brings me so much happiness, and I never want to take for granted the opportunity I’ve been given to keep playing it.

In one word, describe yourself on the field…

One word I would use to describe myself on the field is “competitive.”

I love to compete, challenge myself, and give everything I have to help my team succeed. I never want to be outworked, and I always want to find a way to get better.

And off the field…

Off the field, one word I would use to describe myself is “humble.”

I’m grateful for every opportunity God has given me, and I try to remember that everything I accomplish is bigger than just me.

I want to treat everyone around me with kindness and respect, no matter who they are or what they can do for me.

— Brentt Eads/Line Drive Media