Softball sign Kendall Smiley from Alabama State

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Head coach of the Michigan State softball team Sharonda McDonald Kelley announced on Tuesday the signing of former Alabama State outfielder Kendall Smiley.

In one season at Alabama State, Smiley made 57 appearances and started 55 games for the Hornets. Smiley was the team’s second-leading hitter, posting a .395 overall average and a .434 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) batting average. The Duluth, Georgia, native was the team’s second-leading player in stolen bases, making 23 of her 25 attempts. Smiley led the Hornets with 70 hits and was the team’s second-leading player with seven triples.

Following her freshman year, Smiley was named to the First Team All-SWAC and received the SWAC Academic Achievement Award for her achievements in the classroom.

Smiley attended Duluth High School, where she was named to the 2023 Class 7A All-Region First Team after posting a .526 batting average with 23 RBIs as a senior. In 2021, Smiley was ranked the No. 46 player in the class of 2023 by Extra Innings.

Along with fellow new signee Hannah Greer, Smiley will join MSU’s eight-player, nationally ranked 2024 freshman class on the shores of Red Cedar next season, which also includes Ava Coffinger (Richland, Michigan), Carsyn Cassady (Pataskala, Ohio), Ella Cunningham (Cleveland, Tennessee), Hannah Herman (Buchanan, Michigan), Jacey Schuler (Antioch, Illinois), Jordan Credeur (Georgetown, Texas), Natalia Kenyatta (Madison, Alabama) and Sophia Holverstott (Byron Center, Michigan).