Smith Adds Transfer To 2019 Squad
July 20, 2018
COLUMBIA, S.C. –South Carolina softball announced the addition of transfer infielder Katie Prebble for the upcoming 2019 season on Friday. Prebble joins Carolina from Gardner Webb where she was an NFCA All-American and named the Big South Player and Freshman of the Year for the 2018 season.
“What stuck out to me when talking with Katie was her work ethic and love for the game of softball,” head coach Beverly Smith said. “You can tell how hard she works and the passion she has to succeed. I think she will be a great fit with our culture here at South Carolina.”
Prebble played one year at Gardner Webb where she excelled from her first day on campus. A Pomfret, MD., native, Prebble helped lead the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a .500 record for the first time since 2012. A Third-Team NFCA All-American, she received First-Team All-Big South recognition and a spot on the All-Conference Freshman Team during a season in which she was named Big South Player of the Week once and Freshman of the Week on five different occasions.
Hitting .438 on 70 hits with 23 homers and 71 RBI, Prebble was named a Top-10 Finalist for the NFCA/Shutt Sports Freshman of the Year. With her 23 home runs, she leaves Gardner Webb with the second-most career homers as she broke the school record for home runs in a year. The 23 home runs were also a Big South record for a freshman in a season.
Prebble is the single-season record holder for the Runnin’ Bulldogs in five categories — RBI (71), home runs (23), extra base hits (35), total bases (154) and slugging percentage (.963). In the conference standings, she finished in the top 10 in 11 different categories and led the Big South in five of those.
From a national perspective, she finished her freshman year tied with Townson’s Brooke Miko for the most RBI per game (1.25) and was third in the nation in three offensive categories (RBI, homers per game and total bases).
With the addition of Prebble, Smith and the Gamecocks welcome six newcomers to the program for the upcoming season. Prebble joins incoming freshmen Jordan Fabian, Karly Heath, Madison Owens, Haley Simpson and Rachel Vaughan.
For more information on the Gamecocks, continue to check with gamecocksonline.com.
