WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue softball coach Boo De Oliveira welcomed in the No. 23-ranked signing class, consisting of eight Boilermakers on National Signing Day.
Ansley Armstrong, Ashlynn Campbell, Kylie Franks, Julia Gossett, Jaylah Jarrell, Braxton McCauley, Moriah Polar and Juliana Raymond each signed their letter of intent to join the Purdue family.
"Our signees will be great additions to our current roster, both talent-wise and culture-wise," De Oliveira said. "They 'get it'. They are super talented and excellent teammates. We are excited to officially welcome them into the Purdue Softball Family."
The signing class, ranked No. 23 by Extra Inning Softball, marks the second straight season De Oliveira's staff have produced top-25 recruiting classes (last year: No. 5). Among Big Ten programs, Purdue is joined by Michigan, Ohio State and Nebraska with a top-25 nod.
"This class is extremely talented and balanced," she said. "We have versatility, power and speed. These Boilers understand that the expectation is to earn a top degree and compete for championships."
Ansley Armstrong
Position: Catcher/Utility
Hometown: Hayden, Ala.
High School: Hayden
Intended Major: Dietetics / Nutrition, Health, and Fitness
Club Team: Birmingham Thunderbolts 18U Premier
Quick Hits:
De Oliveira on Armstrong: "Ansley is very athletic and versatile. She can legitimately play both catcher and shortstop and hits for power. She is a true leader on the field who will make her teammates better daily."
Ashlynn Campbell
Position: Middle Infielder
Hometown: Wetumpka, Ala.
High School: Wetumpka
Intended Major: Kinesiology
Club Team: Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier 18 / Rocky
Quick Hits:
De Oliveira on Campbell: "Ashlynn has great range at both middle infield positions and she can run! "Soup" makes elite defensive plays look routine and has a very high game IQ."
Kylie Franks
Position: Shortstop
Hometown: Lanesville, Ind.
High School: Floyd Central High School
Intended Major: Elementary Education
Club Team: Fusion 18u National Unruh / Greenwood
Quick Hits:
De Oliveira on Franks: "Kylie is a Boilermaker at heart. She is a hard worker, never gives up, & loves Purdue. She plays a solid short-stop and is a really tough out offensively."
Julia Gossett
Position: Pitcher/Utility
Hometown: Massillon, Ohio
High School: Jackson
Intended Major: Animal Science
Club Team: Beverly Bandits
Quick Hits:
De Oliveira on Gossett: "Julia is a true utility - she hits for power, pitches with velocity and movement, and plays a solid third base. She is super athletic and a great teammate. She will make an immediate impact on our program."
Jaylah Jarrell
Position: Utility
Hometown: Duluth, Ga.
High School: Peachtree Ridge High School
Intended Major: Sports Medicine or Sports Management
Club Team: Lady Dukes Lamar 18U
Quick Hits:
De Oliveira on Jarrell: "Jaylah is a speedy infielder with power. She is a playmaker and we expect her to make big things happen at Purdue."
Braxton McCauley
Position: Outfield
Hometown: Bedford, Ind.
High School: Bedford North
Intended Major:
Club Team: Indiana Gators
Quick Hits:
Moriah Polar
Position: Outfielder
Hometown: Pearland, Texas
High School: Shadow Creek
Intended Major: Economics
Club Team: 18U Hotshots National Jones
Quick Hits:
De Oliveira on Polar: "Moriah can flat out run. She has elite speed and also elite power. She is a threat every time she comes to the plate and also covers a ton of ground in the outfield. She'll be fun to watch as she will cause major chaos for our opponents' defense."
Juliana Raymond
Position: Pitcher
Hometown: Warren, N.J.
High School: Watchung Hills Regional
Intended Major: Undecided
Club Team: Newtown Rock Gold Garvey
Quick Hits:
De Oliveira on Raymond: "Jules has great command of several pitches. She is a spark plug on the mound and has a nasty change up that she can locate in any count. She will freeze a lot of hitters while donning the black & gold."
Ansley Armstrong, Ashlynn Campbell, Kylie Franks, Julia Gossett, Jaylah Jarrell, Braxton McCauley, Moriah Polar and Juliana Raymond each signed their letter of intent to join the Purdue family.
"Our signees will be great additions to our current roster, both talent-wise and culture-wise," De Oliveira said. "They 'get it'. They are super talented and excellent teammates. We are excited to officially welcome them into the Purdue Softball Family."
The signing class, ranked No. 23 by Extra Inning Softball, marks the second straight season De Oliveira's staff have produced top-25 recruiting classes (last year: No. 5). Among Big Ten programs, Purdue is joined by Michigan, Ohio State and Nebraska with a top-25 nod.
"This class is extremely talented and balanced," she said. "We have versatility, power and speed. These Boilers understand that the expectation is to earn a top degree and compete for championships."
Ansley Armstrong
Position: Catcher/Utility
Hometown: Hayden, Ala.
High School: Hayden
Intended Major: Dietetics / Nutrition, Health, and Fitness
Club Team: Birmingham Thunderbolts 18U Premier
Quick Hits:
- Ranked No. 15 in the nation and No. 4 among all catchers by Extra Inning Softball
- Named 5A Hitter of the Year as a junior
- Received First Team All-State Hitter accolades as a junior
- Alabama state All-Tournament team honoree as a junior
- Guided her team to a pair of Alabama 5A State Championship titles as a freshman and junior
- Posted a .485 batting average as a junior, including 44 RBI and 18 homers
- As a sophomore, batted in 58 runners, notched 15 home runs and averaged .353 from the plate
- During her junior campaign, was Extra Innings High School Player of the Week Runner Up
- Helped her team become area and regional champions as a sophomore
- PGF 18U Champions and Show Me The Money Champions as a junior with the Birmingham Thunderbolts
- Parents: Lisa and Rodger Armstrong
De Oliveira on Armstrong: "Ansley is very athletic and versatile. She can legitimately play both catcher and shortstop and hits for power. She is a true leader on the field who will make her teammates better daily."
Ashlynn Campbell
Position: Middle Infielder
Hometown: Wetumpka, Ala.
High School: Wetumpka
Intended Major: Kinesiology
Club Team: Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier 18 / Rocky
Quick Hits:
- Ranked No. 31 in the nation and No. 23 among all middle infielders by Extra Inning Softball
- Set Wetumpka high school records for BA (.538), OBP (.601), hits (86), runs (75), and stolen bases (58) as a sophomore and junior
- Extra Inning Softball 1st Team High School All-American, Alabama High School All-State Team, All Metro, and All County as a junior
- Appeared on the Alabama High School All-State Team and All County Team, as well as 2nd Team High School All-American from Extra Inning Softball as a sophomore
- Led Wetumpka High School to back to back Area Championships as a sophomore and junior
- Parents: Melissa and Casey Cox
De Oliveira on Campbell: "Ashlynn has great range at both middle infield positions and she can run! "Soup" makes elite defensive plays look routine and has a very high game IQ."
Kylie Franks
Position: Shortstop
Hometown: Lanesville, Ind.
High School: Floyd Central High School
Intended Major: Elementary Education
Club Team: Fusion 18u National Unruh / Greenwood
Quick Hits:
- Golden Glove and Infield Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore
- All GPA Team as a sophomore and junior
- IHSAA HHC All Conference Team and News and Tribune All Area Team as a sophomore
- 2021 TCS East Coast Nationals and 2021 Atlanta Legacy Summer Co-Champions
- Recorded a .469 batting average as a junior, including 13 doubles and 36 runs
- Batted as lead-off or two-hole as a junior for Floyd Central
- Led the team as a junior in quality at-bats
- Team captain junior and senior seasons
- Three year letterwinner (did not have a freshman season due to COVID-19)
- Parents: Michelle and Darin Franks. Darin attended Purdue and majored in Electrical Engineering
De Oliveira on Franks: "Kylie is a Boilermaker at heart. She is a hard worker, never gives up, & loves Purdue. She plays a solid short-stop and is a really tough out offensively."
Julia Gossett
Position: Pitcher/Utility
Hometown: Massillon, Ohio
High School: Jackson
Intended Major: Animal Science
Club Team: Beverly Bandits
Quick Hits:
- Ranked No. 39 in the nation by Extra Inning Softball
- 2022 Top Gun Invitational Champions as a junior with the Beverly Bandits
- Led the Beverly Bandits to a 16U championship title
- 3x letterwinner entering her senior season
- Ranked among the nation's top-52 since freshman year, according to Extra Inning Softball
- Ranked No. 29 in the nation for the 2023 class as a junior
- Parents: Heather and Tom Gossett
De Oliveira on Gossett: "Julia is a true utility - she hits for power, pitches with velocity and movement, and plays a solid third base. She is super athletic and a great teammate. She will make an immediate impact on our program."
Jaylah Jarrell
Position: Utility
Hometown: Duluth, Ga.
High School: Peachtree Ridge High School
Intended Major: Sports Medicine or Sports Management
Club Team: Lady Dukes Lamar 18U
Quick Hits:
- Ranked 11th in the nation in the Elite 100 for Middle Infield
- All-Region First Team honoree
- Nominated for GACA All-State Team, which will be released December 2022
- Competed in the GADC All-State Game
- Peachtree Ridge High School Varsity Softball- All County team honoree since sophomore season
- Has earned a letter every year
- August Player of the Month during senior year
- Peachtree Ridge High School Varsity Softball- Varsity letter, player of the month for September during freshman year
- Parents: Stephanie and Jason Jarrell
De Oliveira on Jarrell: "Jaylah is a speedy infielder with power. She is a playmaker and we expect her to make big things happen at Purdue."
Braxton McCauley
Position: Outfield
Hometown: Bedford, Ind.
High School: Bedford North
Intended Major:
Club Team: Indiana Gators
Quick Hits:
- 2x First Team All-Conference honoree (junior and sophomore year)
- Helped her team to two conference titles
- 2x Sectional Champion
- 2x Regional Champion
- Blasted 10 homers during her junior campaign along with four triples and 10 stolen bases
- As a sophomore, totaled seven homers, three triples and stole six bases
- Did not have a freshman season due to COVID-19
- Parents: Stacie Porter and Steve McCauley
Moriah Polar
Position: Outfielder
Hometown: Pearland, Texas
High School: Shadow Creek
Intended Major: Economics
Club Team: 18U Hotshots National Jones
Quick Hits:
- Ranked No. 10 overall 2023 class recruit by Extra Inning Softball
- Ranked No. 3 among outfielders by Extra Inning for the 2023 Class
- 2022 16U Top Club National Champion
- 2022 16U Triple Crown National Champion.
- 2021-2022 23-6A 1st Team All-District AlvinISD
- Named Newcomer of the Year 24-5A AlvinISD in 2019-20
- 2021-2022 All Academic AlvinISD 23-6A
- Parents: Tiffany and Martin Polar
De Oliveira on Polar: "Moriah can flat out run. She has elite speed and also elite power. She is a threat every time she comes to the plate and also covers a ton of ground in the outfield. She'll be fun to watch as she will cause major chaos for our opponents' defense."
Juliana Raymond
Position: Pitcher
Hometown: Warren, N.J.
High School: Watchung Hills Regional
Intended Major: Undecided
Club Team: Newtown Rock Gold Garvey
Quick Hits:
- 2022 State Sectional Champions ~ North II, Group IV at Watchung Hills Regional High School
- Was the Watchung Hills ace pitcher, leading the team to a 27-2 record, including a 14-1 record in the circle in 2022
- Courier News New Jersey Player of the Year
- Registered 170 strikeouts in 2022-23
- Tallied a 0.70 ERA after 109.1 innints pitched in 2021-22
- Tossed a perfect game with 16 strikeouts and no base runners allowed in the 2023 quarterfinals of the Somerset County Tournament in Gladstone. The game came on the heels of another perfect game with 18 strikeouts in the previous outing
- Selected as MVP of Watchung Hills Regional High School as a junior
- First Team All-Conference honoree as a junior
- Received First Team All-Division as a junior
- Parents: Eva and Jeff Raymond
De Oliveira on Raymond: "Jules has great command of several pitches. She is a spark plug on the mound and has a nasty change up that she can locate in any count. She will freeze a lot of hitters while donning the black & gold."