ORLANDO – After the UCF softball team's 2022-23 transfer class, which featured right fielder Chloe Evans, right-hander/outfielder Sarah Willis and shortstop Jasmine Williams, factored greatly into the team's success last spring, the eyes of the nation are expecting similar results from the 2023-24 group.
As announced by D1Softball.com Tuesday morning, the Knights' summer 2023 transfer class, which includes junior utility infielder Stormy Kotzelnick, fifth-year pitcher/designated player Sona Halajian, and left-handed pitcher Ava Justman, has been ranked the No. 14 such class in the country by the publication entering the spring 2024 campaign.
UCF's newest transfer class slots in ahead of Houston (No. 15) on D1Softball's rankings and just behind Florida Atlantic (No. 13), Oklahoma State (No. 12) and Texas A&M (No. 11) in the first release of the publication's top 15 poll.
In Kotzelnick, the Knights landed a former All-Sun Belt Second Team, All-Louisiana First Team, NFCA All-Central Region Third Team, and Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll selection. The Carmel, Indiana, native hit for a combined .323/.381/.566 (108-for-334) line with 16 home runs, 189 total bases and 79 RBI in two seasons with the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns after taking a redshirt in her lone season with Washington.
The junior burst onto the collegiate scene with a standout debut season with Louisiana in 2022, hitting .356/.419/.644 (69-for-194) in 59 games, accompanied by 14 doubles, six triples, 10 home runs, 125 total bases and 51 RBI. Her contributions helped lift the Ragin' Cajuns to a 47-13 record, including a trip to the NCAA Clemson Regional that saw her go 4-for-14 with a two-run homer as the team's leadoff hitter across Louisiana's four-game NCAA Tournament stint.
Halajian comes to the Knights on the heels of three seasons with the California Golden Bears, where she compiled a career 4.18 ERA in 303 innings pitched with 204 strikeouts and a pair of shutouts, as well as a .292/.387/.553 (86-for-295) line with 22 home runs, 163 total bases and 68 RBI spanning her last three seasons.
The San Anselmo, California, native was tabbed as a Second Team All-Pac-12 Selection in 2022 after hitting .350/.429/.637 (55-for-157) with six doubles, 13 home runs, 100 total bases and 43 RBI at the plate, and recording a 3.87 ERA with 119 strikeouts in 172 innings of work in the circle.
Halajian also threw 1.2 scoreless innings against the eventual-national champion and top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners during the 2023 NCAA Norman Regional, and the Golden Bears also managed an 8-0 run-rule victory over the No. 2 UCLA Bruins March 11 behind her five scoreless innings as well.
Justman also enjoyed an impressive debut season in her first year with the Wisconsin Badgers in 2021, allowing only four earned runs in 15.2 innings of work in relief, translating to an ERA of just 1.79 accompanied by 13 strikeouts.
The Northridge, California, native took on an increased workload during her sophomore 2022 slate, throwing 62.1 innings spanning 17 appearances, including 14 starts. She posted a 3.93 ERA in her first multi-win season, recording a season-high 39 strikeouts and her first three collegiate complete games against Utah, Southern Utah and UCF.
Justman faced the Black and Gold during the 2022 Clearwater Invitational, limiting the Knights to one run on three hits with four strikeouts in the Badgers' eventual five-inning 9-1 victory Feb. 17.
FOLLOW THE KNIGHTS
Follow UCF softball on Twitter/X (@UCF_Softball), Instagram (@UCF.Softball) and Facebook (/UCFSoftball).
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite team by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android device. The app provides personalized information for men's and women's teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs and breaking news. Click here to download the app now.