Michigan signs Reganne Bennett from South Carolina

Although most of last season’s Big Ten Tournament Championship roster was back, Michigan softball coach Bonnie Tholl jumped the transfer wave to bolster next season’s roster.

On Tuesday, South Carolina transfer Reganne Bennett announced her commitment to the Wolverines. XBennett is Michigan’s only transfer signing to date and joins a six-player high school recruiting class as a newcomer to Ann Arbor this fall.

After playing both ways for the Gamecocks last season, Bennett could help the Wolverines in a number of ways this season. In the circle, she threw just 24.1 innings last year but was able to stifle the impressive offenses across the SEC, posting a 0.86 ERA this season. Bennett joins a Michigan rotation anchored by right-hander Lauren Derkowski and will serve as a backup behind the Wolverines’ ace alongside right-hander Erin Hoehn.

Bennett was used sparingly at bat but showed promise. In 41 at-bats, she posted an excellent .952 OPS and hit four home runs, bringing a strong hitter to Michigan’s contact-heavy lineup. With first baseman Keke Tholl the only departure from last year’s lineup, Bennett will be part of the competition for the final spot.

Bennett comes to Ann Arbor with three years of eligibility remaining. While her contributions may not have been critical to the team’s success last year, she is certainly a key piece for the Wolverines going forward. Derkowski will leave a huge hole in Michigan’s rotation after next season, and the Wolverines will lose two of their best hitters – outfielder Ellie Sieler and shortstop Ella McVey – to graduation. Given her contributions to a South Carolina team that made the NCAA Tournament this year, Bennett should be a part of Michigan’s future plans.

And Bennett is no stranger to the state of Michigan. She played high school football in Novi, a suburb of Detroit, and was named Gatorade Player of the Year her senior season. Her return to the Wolverine State is a homecoming of sorts, and she’ll look to find the same success in Ann Arbor that she had in Novi and for the Gamecocks.

Related articles