By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Fort Hays State head softball coach Adrian Pilkington has announced the signing of six student-athletes that will join the team for the 2020 season. This year’s signing class includes three freshmen and three transfers.
Loren Beggs joins the Tigers from Olathe Northwest High School in Olathe, Kan., the 2017 Kansas 6A State Champions. Beggs has helped the Ravens to the state semifinals as the starting third baseman each of the last three years, winning the title in 2017 before finishing runner-up last season. She was an all-conference selection and earned honorable mention All-State accolades.
Kyla Etter comes to Hays to serve in a pitcher/utility role from Eudora High School in Eudora, Kan. Etter earned 4A first team All-State honors as a pitcher after her junior season in 2018. She has been listed on the Lawrence Journal World All-Area team each of the last two seasons and has been named an all-conference honoree after each of the last three years. Etter led the Cardinals to a 17-5 record and a trip to the regional championship as a junior in 2018.
Haley Fox is the first of three transfers, joining the Tigers after two seasons at Colby (Kan.) Community College. Fox was an all-conference and all-region selection as a freshman infielder with the Trojans, batting .316 with 31 RBI and 15 extra base knocks. The shortstop ranked second on the team with five home runs and legged out a team-best two triples while appearing in 51 games. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native was a standout at Mesa Ridge High School, earning four all-conference selections, three Colorado Springs Metro League gold gloves and one CSML Most Valuable Player award.
Mahealani Haegele will also transfer to FHSU from Colby (Kan.) Community College. Haegele appeared in 30 games as a pitcher last season, making 26 starts for the Trojans and earning all-conference and all-region honors. She led the team with 80 strikeouts and ranked second on the pitching staff with 128.1 innings pitched and a 3.38 ERA. She made just one error in 69 chances in the field, posting a fielding percentage of .986. A native of Richland, Mich., Haegele was a two-time all-conference selection at Liberty High School.
Lexi Kagan is the third transfer from Colby (Kan.) Community College that will join the Tigers next season. Kagan also picked up all-conference and all-region accolades as a freshman, playing in 52 of the Trojans’ 53 games. She ranked third on the team with 163 at bats, compiling a batting average of .366 while posting a .422 on-base percentage. The infielder ranked third on the team with 60 base knocks and 38 RBI while stealing 10 bases on the year. Kagan hails from Castle Rock, Colo., where she was an all-state selection and earned three all-conference honors at Castle View High School.
Kristen Reed heads to FHSU from Fort Collins, Colo. where she earned numerous accolades as a first baseman/outfielder at Fossil Ridge High School. Reed earned a trio of all-conference selections while being named all-state honorable mention. She appeared in 83 games as a SaberCat, posting a .482 batting average, a .572 OBP, 122 hits, 89 RBI and 116 runs scored. Reed helped Fossil Ridge to four consecutive state tournaments, finishing second in the state in 2017 while reaching the state semifinals in 2015 and 2016. She was high school teammates with current Tigers Grace Philop and Megan Jamison.
| 2019 Fort Hays State Softball Signing Class | ||||
| Name | Pos. | Yr. | Hometown | Previous School |
| Loren Beggs | INF | Fr. | Olathe, Kan. | Olathe Northwest HS |
| Kyla Etter | P/UT | Fr. | Eudora, Kan. | Eudora HS |
| Haley Fox | INF | Jr. | Colorado Springs, Colo. | Colby CC |
| Mahealani Haegele | P | Jr. | Richland, Mich. | Colby CC |
| Lexi Kagan | INF | Jr. | Castle Rock, Colo. | Colby CC |
| Kristen Reed | OF/INF | Fr. | Fort Collins, Colo. | Fossil Ridge HS |