Softball Announces Incoming Class for 2022 Season
7/13/2021 1:00:00 PM | Softball
Lions add four to roster
NEW YORK — The Columbia softball program officially welcomed four newcomers to the roster Tuesday. This year's incoming class features Jordan Hill, Cami Neal, Caroline Palys and Maddie Souza.
"I am super excited to welcome this group to Morningside Heights," head coach Jen Teague stated. "We have established a program that is ready to stay at the top of the conference for years to come. This class will be a huge part of our continued success. We will have new talent all over the field creating depth in up the middle. All of these incoming players come from highly sought after travel organizations. Their softball IQ is elite and we are excited to get started this fall!"
Columbia was the 2020 Ivy League Preseason favorite before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ivy League canceled the ensuing 2020-21 season for all sports.
In the Lions' last full season, they went 24-21 overall with a 15-6 Ivy League record to finish in second place and qualify for the Ivy League Playoff Series. Columbia bested the program record for Ivy League wins for a second consecutive season and put together its first back-to-back winning seasons since 2001-02.
Information on the softball program's incoming class can be found below. Click here to access the complete 2021-22 roster.
#22 Jordan Hill – P – R/R – CC – San Dimas, Calif. / San Dimas
This year's addition in the circle, Jordan Hill arrives in New York City from across the country in San Dimas, California. A two-year captain at San Dimas High School, Hill has two perfect games to her credit, which she threw as a sophomore, while also posting the highest batting average and lowest ERA in her league. Among her many individual accolades, Hill was named the 2021 San Dimas Defensive Player of the Year, as well as Scholar Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, First Team All-League and one of the Valle Vista League's Top Five Athletes. In the circle, Hill racked up 305 strikeouts in her high school career with a 2.36 ERA. The dual-threat also hit .453 for her high school career and led Valle Vista in home runs as a senior with a league-high .800 slugging percentage. Hill's high school teams went undefeated in league play every season and was a state semifinalist in 2018. Academically, she was a 4.0+ student all four years, and graduated in the top 10 percent of her class. She played travel ball for Explosions Flores.
Teague on Hill: Jordan should come in and make an immediate impact in the circle. She brings a different look to our pitching staff with a mix of off speed and pitches that move on multiple planes. She is a decorated athlete and we are excited to see her develop into an elite Ivy League and Mid-Atlantic Region Pitcher.
#16 Cami Neal – UT – R/R – CC – Gilbert, Ariz. / Gilbert
A product of Gilbert High School in Gilbert, Arizona, Cami Neal adds some versatility to the Columbia roster in the utility role. A four-year letterwinner in both softball and soccer, Neal captained Gilbert as a senior on her way to First Team All-Region honors after hitting .483 with a .557 on-base percentage and .971 fielding percentage. A consistent hitting all through her high school career, Neal hit .373 as a freshman and .397 as a sophomore, also earning All-Region honors each of those seasons. Neal helped Gilbert to second place at the Pennsbury Tournament in 2019. The dual-sport athlete was also a starting striker for the soccer team for three seasons. Academically, Neal graduated salutatorian of her class, as well as Tiger Crew with Honors, which is a club at Gilbert devoted to creating a welcoming environment on campus. She played AAU for AZ Hotshots Downes/Davis 18U Gold.
Teague on Neal: Cami is a feisty player who just gets the job done. She is extremely athletic, which will provide her many opportunities to play a couple of different positions for us. Cami has a wealth of softball knowledge and plays a very high-level travel ball schedule in the summers that has prepared her well for her next chapter.
#2 Caroline Palys – C/3B – R/R – CC – Lexington, Mass. / Lexington
Adding depth behind the plate and in the infield, Caroline Palys joins the Lions from Lexington, Massachusetts and Lexington High School. Palys earned Middlesex League All-Star honors her freshmen, sophomore and senior seasons. This past year, she was named Co-MVP of the league after hitting .639 for the season with a .755 OBP and 1.333 slugging percentage. A big highlight in Palys' season was hitting three home runs in one game. Palys also earned the Softball Rotary Award as a senior and was named to the Boston Herald All-Scholastic Team. A member of her school's National Honor Society, Palys also enjoys being a eucharistic minister at her local church and being a volunteer tutor for middle school students. She competed for Raiders Softball at the club level, helping her team with the ASA All-American Tournament in 2018.
Teague on Palys: Caroline is going to be a force at the plate for us. She plays catcher and third-base as well. She is well-coached and does a great job of mentoring and handling pitchers. She is also a well decorated and well respected player from the Northeast. We are excited to have another Massachusetts player as a part of our program.
#6 Maddie Souza – OF – R/R – CC – Upland, Calif. / Upland
An outfielder from the Los Angeles suburb of Upland, California, Maddie Souza rounds out Columbia's incoming class. The talented hitter competed for Upland High School and was team captain as both a junior and senior. As a freshmen, she earned Second Team All-League honors and Upland's Most Improved Player Award after leading the league in RBIs. She went on to hit .357 as a sophomore, .400 in a COVID-shortened junior season and .370 with a .589 slugging percentage and 1.028 OPS this past season as a senior. Souza's senior season included a Baseline League Championship and appearance in the CIF Championship Finals. Academically, Souza in a five-year honor roll student, four-year Principal's Honor Roll student, and has earned numerous awards including Highlander Educational Foundation Awards for Academic Achievement in Spanish and AP Biology. The AP Scholar Award winner is also a recipient of the Pablo Robertson Scholarship for Volunteer Activities and Community Service. She played travel ball for So Cal Athletics Briggs.
Teague on Souza: Maddie is coming to us from Southern California and is a spark plug in the outfield and at the plate. She is going to be able to bring her wealth of knowledge and high-level travel ball experience with her to Columbia and make an immediate impact. What I love about Maddie is how consistent she is all over the field and with her teammates. She will be a great addition.
For the latest on Columbia softball, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsSoftball), on Facebook (Facebook.com/CULionsSoftball), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.
