Each Tuesday for the next several months Line Drive Softball is honoring top high school performances nationwide with a National Player of the Week and others who are named Runner-Up Players of the Week.

If you’d like to have a player considered, scroll down to see how to send in a nomination.

Games are for Sunday, Mar. 9, 2025, through Saturday, March 15, 2025…

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Line Drive Softball’s National High School Player of the Week (March 18, 2025)

Consider this amazing stat: Gracyn Needle, a sophomore at The King’s Academy in West Palm Beach, Fla., reached a career milestone last week as she collected her 100^th RBI in her prep career.

Let us repeat that: she’s just a sophomore… and has over 100 career RBIs!!!

Gracyn told Line Drive earlier today:

“When I played varsity at American Heritage in 6th and 7th grade, I drove in 18 total runs. However, my 100 RBIs were only the ones playing at King’s Academy, where I have contributed on varsity in 8th, 9th, and now 10th grade with a total of 114 runs driven in so far.

Last week, Gracyn played in five games and went 15-for-19—a smoking .789 batting average—and had four home runs including a grand slam, three doubles, 18 runs driven in and 12 runs scored.

In her 2025 campaign so far, she’s hitting .722 with five homers, a pair of them being grand slams, with 31 total runs driven in.

To what, we asked Gracyn, does she attribute her great success at the plate thus far in her young career?

“I credit my offensive consistency and power to dedicating myself to getting intentional quality reps, both at school and on my own, along with focusing on weight training to build strength,” she said Tuesday morning.

A talented club ball player as well, the shortstop/catcher plays for the Tampa Mustang teams led by coaches Rene Ciccerello and Beth Pynes.

Coach Ciccerello uses Gracyn as an example of what makes a good role model:

“’G’ is the person young softball players should study,” he begins, “to see her work ethic and determination.  She is always looking for ways to better her skills and Gracyn can play every infield position, and play it well.”

“She is versatile and very coachable,” the coach continues. “Her bat has been a tremendous force this high school season, but it’s ‘G’s’ passion for the game which stands out on and off the field.”

“Gracyn,” Ciccerello concludes, “is a great example of the type of players we love in the organization.  She is going to do great things, and we’re excited to watch her journey over the next several years.” 

Interestingly, Gracyn transitioned from baseball to softball about three years ago and was equally successful on the baseball diamond where, playing for the Chandler Bats, she helped her team win at the Cal Ripken level and finished 2^nd in Cooperstown playing under the lights.

Last year, Gracy was also honored as a USA Top Performer and is showing no signs of slowing down as she progresses through her high school and club ball years.

• Gracyn’s Instagram: @gracyn-001
• The King’s Academy Instagram: @tkalions

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Runner-Up Line Drive Softball National Players of the Week

*** Tessa Trippy started her freshman campaign with a bang, as she played two varsity games for Auburn Mountainview (Wash.) High and went 6-for-8—a .750 batting average—as well as a ..78 on-base percentage, a 1,903 OPS and a 1.125 slugging percentage.

Tessa has already been selected to USA Softball National Invitational Event, the Nike RBI West Regional teams (’24 and ’25), and to the MLB Elite Developmental Invitational—all before playing a high school softball game.

The 2028 grad also has anchored the left side of the infield playing both shortstop and third base and ended her last game with a sliding catch/flip from short to third on a ball that bounced off the third baseman.

Keep an eye out for this freshman who’s already drawing close attention in the Northwest from college scouts and coaches.

*** Molly Davi was named the Line Drive Softball National High School Player of the Week on February 25 and the standout sophomore pitcher from Hilo, Hawaii, continues to have a strong season in 2025.

On March 8, Molly pitched a one-hitter with 16 strikeouts and a week later tossed a no-hitter and once again had 16 K’s.

Not a one-dimensional player, either, she also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and a double.

As noted in our earlier write-up on her, Molly is already receiving attention from D1 schools in the SEC and ACC.

*** Morgan Maxwell is a sophomore lefty pitcher and first baseman for West Forsyth (Clemmons, N.C.) High and is considered to be a Top 3 two-way player in the 2027 class.

Last week, the No. 5-ranked prospect in the 2027 Line Drive HOT 100, pitched 17 innings with 24 strikeouts and compiled a 0.00 ERA, a .126 batting average against, and a 3-0 record.

Offensively, in 12 at-bats, Morgan smacked three home runs and drove in 12, contributing to her impressive .750 batting average.

For the season, the West Forsyth High Titans—a 4A program, the largest level in North Carolina—are 7-0 and ranked No. 5 in the state.

For the season, she’s gone 4-0 on the mound with 33 strikeouts in 24 innings and has limited the opposition to a 0.58 ERA and a 1.67 batting average against. With the stick, Morgan is hitting .579 with a .667 on-base percentage, three home runs, 11 RBIs and a sizzling .714 batting average with runners in scoring position.

She also shines in the classroom with a 4.33 GPA and takes all AP/Honors courses.

Morgan plays travel ball with the Georgia Impact Premier O’Neal 09 team and has confirmed interest from many D1 programs, including Florida, Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma, Duke, LSU, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

*** Addison (Addi) Smith is another talented freshman who is drawing attention for her play with her arm and her bat.

The pitcher/shortstop at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tenn., went 9-for-13 for a .692 batting average last week and a .strong .750 on-base percentage. Among her hits, she had four home runs and two doubles while driving in 10 runs, walking three times and striking out just twice.

Addi also pitched seven innings giving up three hits, a 0.857 WHIP and a win. For the season, the Tennessee native is hitting .652 and has four home runs and 13 RBIs. With her arm, she’s pitched 19 innings with a 3-0 record and a 1.053 WHIP.

A softball player since the age of 4, and started on her high school squad as an 8^th grader. Addi also plays varsity basketball and volleyball.

*** Anleigh Wood, a Class of 2028 catcher and third baseman for Wicksburg (Dothan, Ala.) High, was another young player who put up a sizzling batting average as she went 11-for-14 for a .786 batting average, a .786 OBP and a 1.929 slugging mark thanks to four home runs—including two in one game—four doubles and three singles.

Anleigh drove in 10 runs and was strong behind the plate, throwing out all three of the would-be base stealers who tried to test her arm.

In 18 games this season, she is hitting .569 with 24 hits in 49 plate-appearances that includes nine doubles, six home runs, 18 RBIs and eight walks.

With her arm, she’s 5-for-10 in throwing out runners trying to steal on her and in the field has a .986 fielding percentage with 56 putouts and just one error.

Anleigh has played varsity since 7th grade and, as an eighth grader, was named Alabama State Tournament MVP when her team won the AHSAA 2A State tournament in 2024. She also led class 2A in RBIs (49) for the 2024 season and was selected 2^nd Team All-State for the 2024 season. 

*** Karsyn Hudacky, a junior pitcher and second baseman for Cleveland (Clayton, N.C.) High, is a North Florida commit who carries a 4.28 GPA and wants to study Law at the next level.

In her third year of playing varsity ball, she has been a two-way standout all season as she has tossed 36.2 innings with 65 strikeouts and a 0.95 ERA; in seven games she’s allowed just five earned runs.

Last week, Karsyn pitched in two games and had 21 strikeouts in 11 innings and helped her cause by going 6-for-11 (.545) at the plate

For 2025, she is carrying a .538 batting average with a pair of home runs in seven games.

*** Ella Baird, a Hallsville (Texas) High frosh, was stellar in District 5A player as she tossed five innings with nine K’s and allowed just one hit and one earned run while excelling at the plate as she had three home runs including a grand slam and drove in 11 runs.

For the 2025 season, Ella is 6-0 with 60 strikeouts in 41 innings pitched with a 2.35 ERA. Offensively, the Texan is hitting .433 with a .507 OBP and has four home runs and 24 RBIs.

Ella competes for the Bombers Academy 16U American travel ball team and last summer at the Alliance National 14U Championship in Chino Hills, Calif., helped her team finish in the Top 5 and she earned the lowest ERA in the tournament with a 0.38 mark in 18.1 innings pitched with a 3-0 record and just one earned run allowed.

*** Briley Byrnes 2027 sophomore lefty slapper and 2-hole hitter for Pineville (La.) High, was all but unstoppable last week as she went 9-for-11 for a .818 batting average and produced a .846 on-base percentage.

In three games, she had three doubles, scored nine runs and now has a .533 batting average on the year with a .600 on-base percentage thanks to eight walks. Briley has also stolen 20 bases.

She’s a strong student-athlete with a .411 GPA and is a part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at her school and is also taking a Dual Enrollment class and two Gifted Math classes.

Keep an eye out, too, for her sister Berkley Barnes, a 2029 standout, who has also earned national recognition.

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2025 Line Drive Softball National High School Player of the Week

• Mar. 11: Anna Hinde (Charlotte, N.C.)
• Mar. 4: Hannah Jo Sullivan (Brandon, Miss.)
• Feb. 25: Molly Davi (Hilo, Hawaii)
• Feb. 18: Lulu Adrian & Finlee Williams (Melissa, Texas)

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Nomination Process

Each week during the spring and summer high school seasons, Line Drive Softball is honoring a National High School Player of the Week.

Honorees are announced every Tuesday and the cutoff for submitting the nominations is each Monday at noon EST/9 am PST.

We’re looking for standouts who excelled in the circle, at the plate or in the field so be sure to nominate your favorite performance(s) by submitting the following:

• Player Name
• Grad Year (example: Class of 2025 or Senior)
• Position(s)
• High school team name with city/state
• Stats for the week (be as detailed as possible!)
• Up-to-date season stats if possible
• Recruiting information (if applicable)
• Any interesting background on the player
• Action and/or head shots
• If possible, contact info if we’d like more info or quotes

Email info and photos (1-4 as available) by the cutoff of Monday at noon EST/9 am PST to: Brentt.Eads@LineDriveMedia.com