Softball Signs Four to 2025 Class
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina softball head coach Ashley Chastain announced the signing of four high school student-athletes to join the Gamecocks for the 2026 season: Ansley Bennett (Summerville, S.C./Summerville), Kaileigh Byars (Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover), Kaylee “KG” Favors (Orange Beach, Ala./Orange Beach), and Dakota Potter (Norco, Calif./Norco).
“We are excited for Dakota, Ansley, KG, and Kai to be a part of our family and Gamecock nation,” Chastain said. “They all bring a wealth of high-level experience and winning to our program and have a deep passion for the garnet and black. From the West Coast to the great state of South Carolina, we believe they will make a large impact on our program. We can’t wait to see them on campus leaving their mark and build on the tradition that came before them.”
Ansley Bennett
Bennett is a local product from nearby Summerville High School. The 5-6 right-handed pitcher and right-handed hitting utility player is the two-time South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year. She has led the Green Wave to a pair of state championships, including a perfect 30-0 record in 2024. Last season she finished with a 0.16 ERA and led the team with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs. Each of the last three seasons she has been named to the All-State team and named the Region Player of the Year. The last two years she was named the 5A Player of the Year. In 2023 and 2022 she was named the Low Country Player of the Year. MaxPreps named her the 2024 South Carolina Player of the Year and named her a First Team All-American. During the travel ball season, she played for the Lady Lightning Gold. Bennett was also a standout on the volleyball court where she was named to the All-Region team in 2023. In the classroom she has earned the A/B Honor Roll three times.
Kaileigh Byars
Byars, a 5-6 left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder, is a three-time All-State selection at Hanover High School. She is also a three-time All-Region selection, while being twice named to the All-Metro team. In 2023, she was named the Offensive Player of the Year. She led the Hawks to the 2022 Virginia High School League 4A title. With her travel team, the Birmingham Thunderbolts, she has twice won the Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championship. Byars excels in the classroom where she is a Hanover Scholar and is a member of the BETA Club. She comes from a family of athletes as both of her parents played baseball and softball in college. Softball America ranks her the 68th player overall nationally, No. 2 in the state of Virginia, and the No. 12 outfielder.
Kaylee “KG” Favors
A 5-8 right-handed pitcher, Favors has had an outstanding prep career at Orange Beach High School, where she has been named the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) MVP the last three season. Over those three seasons she has also been named to the All-State team. She led the Makos to three straight AHSAA State Championships. In 2024, they finished the season ranked No. 1 in the final MaxPreps Top 25 rankings and crowned National Champions. Last season she went 22-1 in the circle, which ranks 11th all-time in AHSAA history for winning percentage. She also recorded 15 shutouts with a 0.77 ERA and 197 strikeouts. During travel season, she plays for the Birmingham Thunderbolts, where she was named a 2023 All-American and helped her team to the 2022 PGF Championship. She is ranked 18th overall by Perfect Game in the 2025 class.
Dakota Potter
Potter, a 5-5 outfielder, hits from the left side and throws from the right. She was named to the All-League First Team last season at Norco High School. A career .400 hitter, she led the Cougars to the California Interscholastic Federation championship game in 2023. She also excels in the classroom, where she has been named to the Honor Roll all three years. With her club team Athletics Mercado, Potter has helped them win four national championships. She is the No. 58 recruit by Softball America, No. 10 in the state of California, and No. 11 at her position, and is ranked No. 16 by Extra Inning Softball.
For the latest on South Carolina Softball, visit GamecocksOnline.com or follow the team’s social media accounts on Twitter @GamecockSoftbll, Facebook /GamecockSoftball, and Instagram @GamecockSoftball.
