Softball: Rittman Signs Seven to 2021 Class

CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson Softball Head Coach John Rittman announced the addition of seven signees on Friday. The incoming class includes: Rachel Gibson (Ringgold, Ga./Heritage HS), Grace Hiller (Macon, Ga./Tattnall Square Academy), Brooke McCubbin (Locust Grove, Ga./Locust Grove HS), Maddie Moore (Loomis, Calif./Del Oro HS), Jadeyn Ruszkowski (Lithia, Fla./Newsome HS) Aby Vieira (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo HS) and Haylee Whitesides (Duncan, S.C./Byrnes HS).

“We are incredibly excited to welcome our 2021 signees to the Clemson Family,” said Rittman. “Our staff has done a tremendous job putting together another solid class of outstanding student-athletes. This class is made up of dynamic players who will improve the quality of our team. They are a strong group of young women and we cannot wait to help them develop both on and off the field.”

Rachel Gibson • RHP • Ringgold, Ga. • Heritage HS

• Led Heritage HS to back-to-back GHSA 4A State championships (2018-19)
• Two-time GHSA 4A Pitcher of the Year (2018-19)
• Two-time Georgia Dugout Club 4A Player of the Year (2018-19)
• 2019 Best of Preps Softball Player of the Year
• 2019 GACA All-Star team invitee
• Has a career ERA of 1.33 in 404 innings pitched along with 695 strikeouts (through 2019)
• Ranked 85th (by position) and 154th overall in the nation according to ExtraInningSoftball.com

Grace Hiller • INF • Macon, Ga. • Tattnall Square Academy

• Set Tattnall Square’s single-season batting average record of .515 in 2020
• 2020 Georgia Dugout Club Senior All-State invitee
• 2020 Heisman High School Scholarship award recipient
• In 2019, was tabbed the No. 166 player in the nation according to ExtraInningSoftball.com
• Led Tattnall Square to GHSA Class-A Private School to 2017 state championship game
• 2017 First Team All-Region 7A selection
• 2017 First Team All-State A-Private selection

Brooke McCubbin • RHP/UTL • Locust Grove, Ga. • Locust Grove HS

• Ranked the No. 4 pitcher in the nation and No. 9 prospect overall according to ExtraInningSoftball.com
• 2020 Georgia Gatorade Softball Player of the Year
• 2019 GADC State 5A Player of the Year
• 2019 GACA All-Star selection
• Two-time GACA Pitcher of the Year (2018-19)
• Two-time 2019 Region 4AAAAA Pitcher of the Year (2018-19)
• 2017 Second Team All-Region selection as a pitcher
• Holds Locust Grove HS program records in home runs (28), strikeouts (402) and wins (55)

Maddie Moore • INF • Loomis, Calif. • Del Oro HS

• Ranked the No. 16 infielder in the nation and No. 19 prospect overall according to ExtraInningSoftball.com
• 2019 Sacramento All-Metro selection
• Two-time First Team All-Conference selection (2018-19)
• 2019 On Deck Rosetta Jamboree Honorable Mention
• 2018 Del Oro GESBY Freshman Student-Athlete of the Year

Jadeyn Ruszkowski • INF • Lithia, Fla. • Newsome HS

• Ranked the No. 86 infielder in the nation and No. 114 prospect overall according to ExtraInningSoftball.com
• Led Newsome HS to state championship appearance in 2019
• Two-time district champion (2018-19)
• Two-time 9A All-State selection (2018-19)
• 2019 First Team DH selection
• Achieved .652 batting average in 2019
• Currently has 75 career RBIs

Aby Vieira • C/UTL • Mission Viejo, Calif. • Mission Viejo HS

• Ranked the No. 43 catcher in the nation and No. 95 prospect overall according to ExtraInningSoftball.com
• South Coast First Team All-League selection
• All-CIF Southern Section
• Has .568 career batting average, .564 on-base percentage and .880 slugging percentage
• Mission Viejo Team MVP
• Four-year varsity letter winner
• Team captain

Haylee Whitesides • UTL/RHP • Duncan, S.C. • Byrnes HS

• Four-year letter winner and starter at Byrnes HS (2017-20)
• 2019 CAWS All-State Team
• Two-time HSSR All-State Team selection (2018-19)
• Three-time All-Region selection (2017-19)
• Two-time Spartanburg Herald Journal All-Area selection (2018-19)
• Guided Byrnes HS to a state championship title in 2017 and runner-up status in 2018 and 2019