The 2023 class hails from across the country as Florida, California, Indiana, and Texas are represented this year. McLellan (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) and Williams (Windermere, Fla.) are the 100th and 101st recruits from Florida, while Hovermale (Norco, Calif.) is the 30th from California, Rothrock (Whiteland, Ind.) is the fifth from Indiana and Brown (Montgomery, Texas) and Kowalewski (Richmond, Texas) are the eighth and ninth from Texas.
The decorated signing class is the second in program history to feature multiple Gatorade Player of the Year recipients as Rothrock earned 2022 National Gatorade Player of the Year to go along with her two Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year accolades from this year and last year, while Brown was named this year’s Texas Gatorade Player of the Year.
Overall, the Gators have now signed 11 state Gatorade Player of the Year recipients, two of which earned the award multiple times, along with two National Gatorade Player of the Year winners. In addition, this group of individuals still has the opportunity to add to their accolades for the upcoming 2023 awards cycle as they compete in their last season on their respective high school and travel teams.
Ava Brown
Hometown – Montgomery, Texas | Position – RHP/1B | Bat/Throw – R/R
High School/Travel Ball:
2022 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year
2022 Max Preps First Team All-American
2022 Houston Chronicle Greater Houston Area Hitter and Pitcher of the Year
2021 Houston Chronicle Greater Houston Area Hitter and Pitcher of the Year
2022 Texas Girls Coaches Association All-Star & All-State Pitcher of the Year
2022 District 20-5A MVP
2022 All-Montgomery County – 1B
2022 Conroe Currier Montgomery County MVP
2022 Lake Creek High School Principles List
2022 Lake Creek High School A-Honor Roll
2022 Montgomery County Academic All-American
2022 Texas Girls Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete
Alyssa Hovermale
Hometown – Norco, Calif. | Position – Infield | Bat/Throw – R/R | Athletics Mercado – Coached by Dave Mercado & Mark Smith
High School/Travel Ball:
2022 First Team All-League
2022 Cal-Hi Sports All-State
2022 Michelle Carew Classic All-Tournament Team
2022 All-Academic Team
2021 First Team All-League
2022 All-Academic Team
Ariel Kowalewski
Hometown – Richmond, Texas | Position – Catcher | Bat/Throw – L/R
High School/Travel Ball:
2022 PGF Futures All-American
2022 Houston Chronicle All-Greater Houston First Team
2022 TFL Championship All-Tournament Team
2022 Texas UIL District 20-6A Most Valuable Player
2022 Texas UIL District 20-6A Academic All-District
2021 Texas UIL District 20-6A Most Valuable Player
2021 Texas UIL District 20-6A Academic All-District
2021 Alliance Fastpitch All-Tournament Team
2021 Extra Innings Softball All-Summer Team
2020 Extra Innings Softball All-Summer Team
2017 USA Softball All-American
Cassidy McLellan
Hometown – Lakewood Ranch, Fla. | Position – Outfield | Bat/Throw – L/R
High School/Travel Ball:
2022 Herald Tribune Softball Player of the Year
2022 Lakewood Ranch Offensive Player of the Year
2021 Florida 7A Player of the Year
2021 Herald Tribune Softball Player of the Year
2021 FACA District 16 7A Player of the Year
2021 Lakewood Ranch Offensive Player of the Year
2021 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Softball Runner-Up
Keagan Rothrock
Hometown – Whiteland, Ind. | Position – RHP | Bat/Throw – R/R
High School/Travel Ball:
2022 National Gatorade Softball Player of the Year
2022 Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year
2022 USA Today National High School Player of the Year
2022 Extra Innings Softball Player of the Year
2022 Indiana 4A State Champion
2022 NFCA High School All-American
2022 Max Preps First Team All-American
2022 Circle City First Team All-Conference
2022 First Team All-State
2022 First Team All-County
2021 Indiana 4A State Champion
2021 Max Preps First Team All-American
2021 Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year
2021 NFCA High School All-American
2021 USA Today Indiana High School Female Athlete of the Year
2021 USA Today Indiana High School Softball Player of the Year
2021 Extra Innings Softball Player of the Year
2021 Circle City First Team All-Conference
2021 First Team All-State
2021 First Team All-County
Mia Williams
Hometown – Windermere, Fla. | Position – Utility | Bat/Throw – R/R
High School/Travel Ball:
2021 Florida Athletic Coaches Association First Team All-State
2021 Florida Athletic Coaches Association Academic All-State
Windermere Prep Female Athlete of the Year
Three-time Honor Roll Member
