COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State softball has signed eight student-athletes to its next recruiting class, head coach Kirin Kumar announced Wednesday, November 11, in a release from Ohio State. The signing class was ranked in the Top 40 nationally by D1 Softball, according to Ohio State.
The class includes outfielder/infielder Emily Perone, pitcher Lily Brewer, infielder Ella Smith, outfielder Aniyah Griffin, catcher/utility player JJ Davis, pitcher Brennen Reichman, infielder Azarriah Phillips and outfielder Kennedi Adams, Ohio State said. The group breaks down as three outfielders, two infielders, two pitchers and a catcher.
Three of the eight signees are Ohio natives. Davis is from Springfield and plays at Kenton Ridge High School, Reichman is from Dover and plays at Tusky Valley High School, and Phillips is from Warren and plays at Warren Harding High School, according to Ohio State’s announcement. All three play travel ball at a high level — Davis and Reichman both with the Beverly Bandits, and Phillips with New Jersey Unity.
The rest of the class stretches across the country. Perone comes from Fenton, Missouri, and Rockwood Summit High School; Smith is from O’Fallon, Missouri, and Liberty Wentzville High School; Brewer is a pitcher from Auburn, Alabama; Griffin is an outfielder from McDonough, Georgia; and Adams is an outfielder from Northville, Michigan, Ohio State said.
Their travel-ball programs underline the level Kumar’s staff recruited. Perone plays for the St. Louis Chaos, Brewer for Top Gun National, Smith for the Lady Dukes, Griffin for the Atlanta Vipers and Adams for Turnin2, according to Ohio State.
For Ohio State, the class is built around balance. The Buckeyes added pitching in Brewer and Reichman, catching depth in Davis, infield help in Smith and Phillips, and three outfielders who can also move around the diamond — Perone is listed as both an infielder and an outfielder, and Davis as a catcher and utility player.
The signees will arrive in Columbus as the next wave of a program Kumar continues to build through national recruiting while keeping Ohio’s own talent home. Keeping three in-state signees — from Springfield, Dover and Warren — in the class gives the Buckeyes a local core alongside players drawn from five other states.
Ohio State did not announce enrollment dates in Wednesday’s release. The eight signees are expected to join the program ahead of a future season, with their high school and travel seasons still to play out this year.