ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – The 2019 softball season is right around the corner and after saying goodbye to nine student-athletes from the 2019 squad, the Knights have welcomed 12 newcomers, including seven freshmen, to help them compete in 2020 and beyond.

The young core will battle to make their presence known early for UCF as a pair of pitchers, a catcher, two outfielders, and two infielders will fill the gaps in the Knights lineup.

Let’s meet the incoming class:

#1 // Madelyn Bejarano // OF
Bejarano comes to the Knights with a familiar face already on the team in her cousin Haley Bejarano, who is in her third year with UCF. Madelyn, an outfielder by trade, was named a first-team selection and first-team all-division as a freshman at Mingus Union High School in Cottonwood, Arizona. During her time with the Marauders, she set school records in batting average, hits, extra-base hits, doubles, triples, and stolen bases. Expect Bejarano to bring a mix of speed and defense, among other tools, to the Knights in 2020 and beyond.

#3 // Molly Rainey // OF/P
Rainey brings a versatile set of tools to the Knights. The Ada, Oklahoma native dominated the competition as a member of her Byng high school squad, hitting over .540 in every season that she played and tallying 18 combined home runs. To go along with the offensive production, Rainey registered 813 strikeouts in four seasons in the circle and posted a career-low 0.80 ERA in her junior year. She was a two-time first-team All-Conference and All-District player and intends to major in Pre-Physical Therapy as a student at UCF.

#10 // Juliana Wilson // C
The lone new backstop to the Knights in 2020, Wilson has hit over .600 with at least a 1.000 slugging percentage in three years of varsity softball at Watsonville high school in Watsonville, California, hitting a combined 23 home runs with 111 RBI. She was named All-League for four consecutive seasons and led her team to the 2017 CCS Division I Championship. Wilson will bring a mix of solid defense behind the plate with plus hitting tool for a backstop. She intends to major in Bioengineering, Prosthetic’s Technology at UCF.