UCF Softball National Signing Day 2026 Headquarters

ORLANDO – In accompaniment with Wednesday’s National Signing Day, UCF softball head coach Cindy Ball-Malone has announced the program’s signing class for the upcoming 2027-28 academic school year.

Ranked No. 31 in the nation overall by D1Softball.com and No. 36 overall by Softball America/On3, the Knights’ newest class consists of six players, including a quartet of utility players, two pitchers and one catcher/infielder. This story will be updated as signing week progresses.

Gianna Torres | RHP | Glendale, Ariz. | Sandra Day O’Connor High School

One of two four-star signings in UCF’s latest class as ranked by Softball America/On3, Torres joins the Knights out of Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Glendale, Arizona. Softball America/On3 also tabbed Torres as the No. 3 recruit in the state of Arizona in this year’s class.

Over her last two years with the Eagles, the right-hander totaled 141 innings of work, racking up 270 strikeouts and producing a WHIP of 1.13 in 2026 and 0.90 in 2025 to clinch First Team All-Region honors in both seasons.

Outside of her high school accomplishments, Torres also played club softball for the Corona Angels Tyson 18U Gold, winning the 2026 Patriot Games Championship with the Athletics Mercado Smith and the 2024 PGF 14U Premier National Championship.

“I want to attend UCF and play softball for Coach Bear because her program reflects the exact environment where I have grown and thrived, one built on competitive excellence, discipline, growth, and a team-first mentality,” Torres said. “Her determination, championship history and national spotlight match the standards I have set for myself. UCF is a place where I know I can keep growing and chasing excellence, both on the field and in the classroom.”

Carlie Guile | MI/OF | Shreveport, La. | Calvary Baptist Academy

Guile, a Softball America/On3 three-star recruit, joins the Knights out of Shreveport, Louisiana.

Her high school resume includes All-City and All-State selections in 2024, All-City, All-State, NFCA All-Region, NFCA All-America Third Team and Louisiana SI All-State First Team selections in 2025, and in 2026 she garnered All-District First Team, All-City First Team, All-State First Team, and NFCA All-Region Second Team honors.

She also played club softball with Fury Platinum X for six years under head coaches Donald Pickett and Jeremy Higdon.

With the Cavaliers, she also won five district championships and five state championships from 2022-26, and earned top 10 national rankings by MaxPreps and the NFCA.

“I chose UCF for the environment, culture, and competitiveness of the program all around,” Guile said.

Bella Nicholson | 3B/UTL | Liberty Hill, Texas | Liberty Hill High School

Another Softball America/On3 three-star signing, Nicholson joins UCF out of Liberty Hill, Texas.

With the Panthers, Nicholson won three consecutive All-District First Team selections, as well as three straight Academic All-District honors, and was also named her program’s Newcomer of the Year following her first season.

A member of two top-three finishes in the state tournament, Nicholson also played club softball for seven years with the Hotshots under Nathan Nelson.

“I chose UCF because I fell in love with the coaching staff, the people, and the overall environment,” Nicholson said. “I love Florida and could picture myself spending the next four years there. I knew UCF would push me to grow both as a player and as a person, and it just felt like the right place for me.”

Abby McLemore | LHP/UTL | Dunedin, Fla. | Dunedin High School

McLemore, a Softball America/On3 three-star recruit, stays within her home state for the next step in her playing career, joining UCF out of Dunedin High School in Dunedin, Florida.

The owner of 400 career strikeouts in the circle and over 100 hits at the plate, McLemore earned a trio of MVP honors for the Dunedin Falcons, winning district championships in three straight years from 2024-26, as well as a regional title in the 2025 season that saw the squad advance as far as the final four.

She also played club softball with the Tampa Mustangs Rene for one season, and is a member of the National Honors Society and National Science Honors Society.

“I chose UCF because it felt like a big family,” McLemore said. “I love what the program stands for and the values it represents. I also felt that UCF was a place where I could grow not only as an athlete, but as a person.”

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our website at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.