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 2025-26 academic school year.
The Knights’ newest signing class consists of seven players, including two who were nationally ranked by Softball America and PrepSoftball.com. Left-handed pitcher/outfielder Hildie Dempsey and first baseman Kendall Trimm headline the group, with the former coming in at No. 33 overall according to PrepSoftball.com and the latter ranked No. 61 overall by Softball America. The pair are joined by infielder/outfielder Maliyah Warren, right-handed pitcher Ava Stuewe, left-handed pitcher/infielder Reagan Vokoun, right-handed pitcher Tori Payne and outfielder Ayala Durant.
Here is a short introduction:
* Hildie Dempsey, Left-handed pitcher/outfielder, Jefferson High School, Jefferson, Wisconsin _ The No. 33 overall player in the nation’s signing class this fall according to PrepSoftball.com, Dempsey joins the Black and Gold on the heels of her high school career with the Jefferson High School Eagles.
Under the guidance of head coach Jeff Agnew, Dempsey three times earned First Team All-Conference and All-District honors, as well as a pair of First Team All-State selections. Hitting .526 with a 0.82 ERA, she also earned Conference and Offensive Player of the Year selections, as well as a Gold Glove for her efforts in the field.
With the Eagles, Dempsey won a pair of conference titles in 2022 and 2024, and finished as the state runners-up in 2022.
She joins her sister, Eden, within the Division I softball ranks, as Eden is entering her senior season as a catcher with the Wisconsin Badgers.
* Maliyah Warren, Infielder/outfielder, Olathe West High School, Olathe, Kansas _ Warren comes to Orlando after completing her high school career with the Olathe West High School Owls.
Led by head coach Cynthia Adams, Warren earned First Team All-State infield and First Team Sunflower League honors, while also being selected to the MO/KAN All-Star Game. Most recently, Warren produced a .475 average in her junior season and helped lead her squad to a state championship in the 2023 season.
A member of Aces Fastpitch outside of school from 2021-24, Warren and her team earned a national fifth-place finish in 2022 as well, and was ranked No. 32 overall by Extra Inning softball in the 2022 class.
Warren joins her sister, Mikayla, at the Division I level, as Mikayla played collegiate softball as an outfielder with the Kansas Jayhawks from 2015-18.
* Ava Stuewe, Right-handed pitcher, Fredericksburg High School, Fredericksburg, Texas _ Stuewe begins her collegiate career with UCF after completing her high school career with the Fredericksburg High School Billy Goats.
Stuewe was a four-year varsity letterman with Fredericksburg, earning 2022 District Newcomer of the Year, 2023 First Team All-District, 2024 District MVP, and All-State THSCA Super Elite Team 2024 honors.
With the Billy Goats, Stuewe and her team produced an undefeated district championship season and advanced as far as the regional quarterfinals, and previously were area finalists in the 2022-23 campaign.
She was also a member of the Texas Bombers club team, a squad with which she won the 16U Alliance Fastpitch Tier II Championship in 2022.
Stuewe joins her sister, Rose, in advancing to play collegiate sports, as Rose was an All-American volleyball player at the Colorado School of Mines.
* Reagan Vokoun, Left-handed pitcher/infielders, Lincoln Southwest High School, Lincoln, Nebraska _ Vokoun makes the move to Orlando to continue her softball career after playing in high school with the Lincoln Southwest Silverhawks.
During the 2024 season, Vokoun set her school’s single-season doubles record with 21 while producing a 1.69 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 99 innings of work. Her resume also includes HAC All-Conference honors and an Omaha World Herald All-State Honorable Mention in 2022.
As a team, Vokoun and the Silverhawks earned four straight district championships, four HAC tournament titles, and four state tournament appearances from 2021-24, winning the state championship in 2021.
Reagan joins her mother, Cori Sampson Vokoun, in the ranks of college softball, as Cori made a Women’s College World Series appearance with Princeton in 1996.
* Kendall Trimm, first baseman, Moody High School, Moody, Alabama _ Trimm joins UCF to continue her playing career after spending her high school career with the Moody Blue Devils.
Nationally-ranked No. 61 in this year's class by Softball America, Trimm was also tabbed Extra Inning Softball National High School Player of the Week twice during the 2023 season, and she garnered All-St. Clair County Team and AHSAA.com All Tribune Team honors three times in her high school tenure (2021, 2023 and 2024).
The first baseman helped lead her squad to one county championship in 2022, two area championships in 2022 and 2024, one regional qualifier in 2024, and state tournament appearances in three consecutive years from 2022-24.
She was also ranked No. 22 nationally, and No. 5 at first base, by Extra Inning Softball on her club team in 2022.
* Tori Payne, Right-handed pitcher, Wellington High School, Wellington, Florida _ Payne remains in the Sunshine State to join the Knights after spending her high school tenure with the Wellington Wolverines.
The right-hander set a plethora of school records throughout her time at Wellington, including strikeouts in a game (19), strikeouts in a season (162), complete games in a season (17), shutouts in a season (7), innings pitched in a season (133.2) and career shutouts (9).
She was a four-year varsity starter and earned Palm Beach Post All-County honors in 2022 and 2024, as well as Sun Sentinel First Team All-County in 2022 and 2024.
With Payne’s help, the Wolverines won three district titles and one regional championship, while advancing to a pair of regional semifinals and one state final.
* Ayala Durant, Outfielder, Fuquay-Varina High School, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina _ Durant remains on the east coast with the Knights after playing in high school with the Fuquay-Varina Bengals.
Durant garnered 2024 offensive player of the year honors with the Bengals, accompanied by all-conference recognition in both of the last two seasons (2023-24). She also attained experience in club softball with the Lady Lightning Gold DPS from 2021-25, NC Challengers (2019-21) and South Wake Storm form 2013-18.
Women’s Soccer inks three
The UCF women's soccer family has grown, and the team’s influence has continued to expand throughout the country as head coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak announced the program's 2025 class on National Signing Day. Three incredible players, Kalena Bellini, Natalie Leon and Sophia May, have chosen to join the Black and Gold.
With the departure of several key seniors, these three players will provide much-needed reinforcements for the Knights beginning in the 2025 season.
“Overall, this 2025 class brings a unique mix of talent, experience, and grit that will elevate our team and uphold our standard of excellence. They’re not only skilled players but also individuals who will push their teammates and contribute to our team culture and values,” Roberts Sahaydak said. “We’re excited to welcome them to UCF and look forward to the impact they’ll make on and off the field as we continue competing for championships.”
* Kalena Bellini, Forward, Skyridge High School, Lehi, Utah _ Coming from Utah, Bellini brings to the Knights amazing scoring ability, a resume of big wins and international experience.
Bellini was the top goal-scorer on her high school team that won a conference championship and made the state finals for the first time in school history. She played a key role in helping her Wasatch SC team win back-to-back national championships. Earlier this year, she was called up to join the Brazilian U-17 National team, including during the U-17 World Cup.
Natalie Leon, Defender, Santa Margarita Catholic High School, San Clemente, California _ Moving from one coast to another, Leon joins the Knights after completing a successful high school and club career. She helped lead Santa Margarita Catholic to three division titles, a California State championship, and a No. 2 national ranking in 2022. She also played a key role in helping her club team, Slammers FC, make the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) national tournament four straight times. She helped her team reach the Sweet 16 in 2022 and the quarterfinals in 2023. She was also part of the Olympic Development program from 2021 to 2023.
* Sophia May, Midfield, Eastlake High School, Chula Vista, California _ Like Leon, May also comes to UCF from California. In 2021 she helped lead Albion SC to a GA National Championship. She has since led Rebels SC to several successful seasons. She helped her high school win a division title and was named CIF Second-Team last year.
