University of North Carolina Athletics
Seven Future Tar Heels Sign National Letters of Intent
November 15, 2017 | Softball
CHAPEL HILL – Carolina softball is pleased to announce the signing of seven incoming players to National Letters of Intent: Hannah Faulkenberry, Hannah George, Lexi Godwin, Kiersten Licea, Taylor Puetz, Abby Settlemyre and Shayla Thompson. The members of the signing class hail from North Carolina, Texas and Georgia, and span every position, featuring two pitchers, a catcher, three infielders and three outfielders.
The future Tar Heels have already experienced success at a high level, with travel ball teammates Faulkenberry, Settlemyre and Thompson winning the ASA 18U National Championship as members of the Carolina Cardinals, while George led Northside High School to the Georgia 4A state title this past weekend.
"The 2018 class is a very diverse group of talented athletes," said head coach Donna J. Papa. "We have recruited players from all over the country to solidify and impact our team for the next four years. I am excited about the athleticism of this group. All positions are covered as we have pitchers, a catcher, infielders and outfielders. We have added offensive power and speed with slappers. They are a good fit for our University and our softball program. We have been recruiting them for the last few years so it will be great for them to officially be Tar Heels and to see them in Carolina Blue."
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| Hannah Faulkenberry |
Name: Hannah Faulkenberry
Position: Third Base
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
High School: Charlotte Christian
Travel Team: Carolina Cardinals
A third baseman from Charlotte, North Carolina, Hannah Faulkenberry burst onto the scene as a freshman at Charlotte Christian High School, batting .476 with 33 RBIs. Following her rookie season, Faulkenberry earned first-team all-conference, First-Team All-6A North Region, second-team all-state and Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention. Faulkenberry upped her game as a junior, hitting .535 with 29 RBIs to once again earn first-team all-conference honors while being named Charlotte Christian MVP. A dedicated student in the classroom, she is a member of the National Honor Society and was named to the Magna Cum Laude Honor Roll both semesters of her junior year.
"Hannah is a hard-hitting corner and offensive threat at the plate," said Papa. "She is also a member of the Carolina Cardinals team that won a National Championship this summer and is teammates with Abby and Shayla. We are excited to be adding her power to our lineup."
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| Hannah George |
Name: Hannah George
Position: Pitcher/Outfield
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Columbus, Ga.
High School: Northside
Travel Team: Georgia Power DeMarini Gold
A power-hitting pitcher from Columbus, Georgia, Hannah George led Northside High School to three consecutive Class 4A Region-1 Championships, capped off by capturing the 2017 GHSA 4A State title on Oct. 28. The right-handed pitcher went 17-1 with a 0.39 ERA over 107 innings this fall as a senior, completing her high school career by hurling a one-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and an RBI single in the State Championship game. A force at the plate, she hit .467 with an .876 slugging percentage as a junior and finished her career with 135 RBIs, 132 runs and 23 home runs.
Named Northside High Player of the Year as a freshman, George is a three-time Columbus Ledger Enquirer All-West Georgia First Team selection, including being named Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons (2015, 2016). A two-time 4A All-State First Team honoree (2015, 2016), she was named 2016 Georgia Dugout Club 4A Player of the Year and a 2016-17 Sportsvisions Female Athlete of the Year. Off the field, George has been a member of the National Honor Society since 2016.
"Hannah is coming off a Georgia State High School Championship this fall," said Papa. "She is a very versatile player as she pitches, plays outfield, and is a force at the plate giving us lots of options in the lineup. We are excited that she will be returning to the state of North Carolina where her family has solid roots."
A member of Georgia Power since 2014, George was named 2014 Player of the Year and 2015 Most Offensive Player for Red 2000, then won both Player of the Year and Most Offensive for DeMarini Gold in 2016. George led the Red squad to the USSSA 16U Georgia state title and a third-place finish at the USFA 14A World Series in 2014. After finishing 17th at the 2015 ASA 14U National Championships, George's squad had a runner-up finish at Triple Crown Sports 16U Southeast Nationals in 2016 then took first place at 2017 TCS 18U Southeast Nationals.
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| Lexi Godwin |
Name: Lexi Godwin
Position: Pitcher/Utility
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: Selma, N.C.
High School: North Johnston/Greenfield
Travel Teams: Carolina Elite, Carolina Flames, Johnson County Clippers
A pitcher who can also play in the infield or outfield, Lexi Godwin started for North Johnston as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to Greenfield School. Outside of school, Godwin currently plays travel ball for Carolina Elite where she hit .410 while leading the team in slugging percentage (.724), home runs (13) and RBIs (47) this past summer. Godwin led Carolina Elite to a fourth-place finish at 2017 USA Junior Olympic Cup and a fifth-place finish at the 2017 Triple Crown Colorado Fireworks tournament. Carolina Elite finished the 2017 season ranked 12th in the nation by FloSoftball.com. Off the field, Godwin won the 2016 Greenfield School Citizenship Award and is a member of the National Honor Society.
"Lexi has been raised a true Tar Heel and embodies the Carolina Way. She will add depth as a utility player and another option for our offense as a right-handed hitter."
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| Kiersten Licea |
Name: Kiersten Licea
Position: First Base/Third Base
Bats/Throws: R/R
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
High School: Douglas MacArthur
Travel Team: Texas Blaze
The starting first baseman for Douglas MacArthur High School, Kiersten Licea has batted over .400 while slugging above .800 all three seasons. A three-time 26-6A First-Team All-District selection and two-time MacArthur Offensive Player of the Year honoree, Licea was named third-team all-state as a freshman after leading 26-6A in home runs, RBIs and runs scored. With her at the plate, the Brahmas captured their first playoff win in school history in 2015, then advanced to the second round for the first time thanks to her game-winning hit in 2016. Licea was influential in DMHS' return to the second round in 2017, slugging a pair of home runs in the first-round sweep. The San Antonio, Texas, native was named Academic All-District this past spring.
The team captain for the Texas Blaze, Licea hit .465 with more than 15 home runs in travel ball, where she was named a USA Elite Select 30 Player in 2017. Licea was influential in the Blaze's third-place finish in the Texas Gold Cup 16U Gold Bracket and ninth-place finish at the USA Elite Select 18U World Fastpitch Championship.
"Kiersten is a strong-hitting corner player from Texas that will give us depth in the infield and a presence at the plate," said Papa. "She is a true first baseman with advanced glove work and the skills to succeed at our level. She is a strong leader and has really developed into a player to be feared by her opponents."
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| Taylor Puetz |
Name: Taylor Puetz
Position: Catcher
Bats/Throws: L/R
Hometown: Goldsboro, N.C.
High School: Charles B. Aycock
Travel Teams: Carolina Cardinals, Wildcards Elite
A catcher from Goldsboro, North Carolina, Taylor Puetz has hit over .400 every season at Charles B. Aycock High School, including batting .529 with a .728 slugging percentage and 36 RBIs last spring as a junior. The recipient of the Coaches Award as a freshman, Puetz was named 3A/4A All-Conference following her junior season. Puetz led the Falcons to a Runner-Up finish at the 2016 3A State Championships after making the fourth round of the playoffs as a freshman.
After three years with Wildcards Elite, which included winning the 2017 Triple Crown Summer Nationals, Puetz joined Carolina Cardinals-Chandler this past August. A strong student, she has made the Honor Roll every year at Charles B. Aycock.
"Taylor will be an offensive threat as a power hitter from the left side as we look to replace some offense to graduation," said Papa. "She will also add some dimension behind the plate and be a strong component of our battery. Taylor is a North Carolina native and has been dedicated to growing in our program over the past couple years and is a true Tar Heel."
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| Abby Settlemyre |
Name: Abby Settlemyre
Position: Middle Infield
Bats/Throws: L/R
Hometown: Hickory, N.C.
High School: Fred T. Foard
Travel Teams: Carolina Cardinals, Carolina Curve
A three-year starter for Fred T. Foard High School, Abby Settlemyre reached base in nearly every plate appearance as a junior, batting .717 with a .952 on base percentage and not a single strikeout. A three-time Northwestern 3A/4A All-Conference and All-Tournament Team selection, Settlemyre was named District 7 3A and Northwestern 3A/4A Conference Player of the Year last spring as a junior. A two-time all-district and all-state honoree, she was named Defensive Player of the Year in her first two seasons then Offensive Player of the Year as a junior.
After five years with the Carolina Curve, Settlemyre joined the Carolina Cardinals-Chandler squad that won back-to-back 18U ASA National titles in 2016 and 2017 after winning the ASA State Championship and finishing third at ASA 18U Nationals in 2015. The Hickory, North Carolina, native batted .560 during the regular season then ran an impressive .720 average at ASA Nationals in 2017. A dedicated student, she is a member of the National Honor Society, Beta Club and the Dream Team.
"Abby is a North Carolina native that will help solidify our middle infield as we will be graduating two this spring," said Papa. "Offensively, she is versatile as a hitter and a slapper from the left side. She knows what it takes to win at the next level, as this past summer she played for the Carolina Cardinals softball team that won the 18U National Championship."
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| Shayla Thompson |
Name: Shayla Thompson
Position: Outfield
Bats/Throws: L/R
Hometown: Newton, N.C.
High School: Maiden
Travel Teams: Carolina Cardinals, Carolina Elite
An outfielder at Maiden High School, Shayla Thompson is a two-time all-conference and two-time Offensive Player of the Year honoree after batting over .500 as a freshman and a junior at MHS. Thompson led all of NC Southern District 7 with a .513 batting average in 2015, adding 33 stolen bases as a rookie. The left-handed hitter hit .544 with 14 swipes last spring, earning all-district and all-state honors.
A member of Carolina Elite from 2013-15, Thompson joined the Carolina Cardinals in 2016, leading the travel team to an 18U National Championship in Oregon. Off the field, Thompson is a member of the National Technical Honor Society and a Beta Member, while serving as a Junior Marshall in 2015-16.
"Shayla will add speed in the outfield and on the basepaths," said Papa. "Offensively, she is a left-handed slapper that fits well into our offense. Shayla was also a part of the Carolina Cardinals that won the 18U National Championship."
