Harris-Champer Signs Four For 2016
November 24, 2014 | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia softball coach Lu Harris-Champer has announced that Kayla Cotton, Alyssa DiCarlo, Brea Dickey and Lacey Sumerlin have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Bulldogs. They will join the team for the 2016 season.
“ We are very excited about this group of future Bulldogs,” Head Coach Lu Harris-Champer said. “While not a large class in numbers, we are excited about the impact this group will have on the future of Georgia softball. What stands out about this group is their offensive potential. Not only do they possess a lot of talent offensively, but they possess the mindset, toughness and grit that it takes to compete in the SEC. We look forward to Alyssa, Brea, Kayla, and Lacey arriving in Athens and putting on the Red and Black.”
Kayla Cotton – Infielder/Pitcher – 5’10” – Cataula, Ga.
Cotton signs with the Bulldogs after a standout career at Harris County High School. As a freshman, Cotton hit .342 with three home runs, helping her to All-Region Second Team honors. She also earned her team’s Horizon and Rookie Award. Cotton’s average and home run total increased her sophomore season, as she registered a team-best .422 average and hit six home runs. For her efforts, she was named Harris County’s Top Tiger and was awarded First Team All-Region and First Team West Georgia honors. In her junior season, Cotton was named Harris County’s MVP, the 1-AAAAA Player of the Year, the West Georgia Player of the Year and was the recipient of the In the Game Magazine Award after hitting .308 with eight home runs. As a senior, Cotton hit .399, drove in 49 runs and hit 13 home runs. She helped lead her team to an Elite 8 appearance and a third-place finish in the state. Cotton was also selected for the Senior All-Star Tournament. Cotton was a standout player at the club level, playing for the Georgia Renegades from 2007-10 before moving to the Georgia Peaches from 2011-15.
In addition to softball, Cotton is a member of the Beta Club, the National Honors Society and the Science National Honors Society. Kayla is the daughter of Shannon and Shannon Cotton.
Harris-Champer on Cotton: “Kayla adds a big, power bat to the class. She can really put a charge in the ball and hit it as far as anyone! We have seen her do it with the game on the line too. Kayla is also an outstanding student and we look forward to her joining the Georgia Softball family.”
Alyssa DiCarlo – Infielder – 5’10” – Glendale, Ariz.
DiCarlo comes to Georgia after a four-year career at Mountain Ridge High School and as the 35th-ranked player in the 2015 class. In her freshman year, DiCarlo was named the Co-Offensive Player of the Year and was an AZ Republic Division I Honorable Mention. As a sophomore, DiCarlo was named a Maxpreps Underclass All-American and to the AZ Central All-Arizona Team. Additionally, she was a First Team All-West Valley Team selection and earned AIA Division I All-Division Second Team. Her success on the field continued into her junior season as she was named to the Full Count Softball Top 100 Players for 2015. She again earned Maxpreps Underclass All-American Honors. DiCarlo was also named to the AZ Central All-Arizona Team and to the AIA Division I All-Division First Team. DiCarlo was also named the West Valley Player of the Year. DiCarlo has also played at the club level since 2010. From 2010-12, she was an outfielder to the Team Arizona Henry 14U. During her time with the team, she led it to a first place finish at the Colorado Sparkler tournament and a second place finish at the 2012 ASA 14U Nationals. From 2012-14, DiCarlo played for the Firecrackers AZ Henry 16U as a shortstop, helping her team to a first place finish in the 16U open bracket at Colorado Firework. She also led the Firecrackers to a third place finish in the Super 32 at Colorado Firework. Currently, DiCarlo plays as a third baseman and shortstop for the Firecrackers Blanco 18 Gold team.
DiCarlo is a member of Mountain Ridge High School’s Athletic Management Team. Alyssa is the daughter of Van and Rita DiCarlo and has one sister, Gina.
Harris-Champer on DiCarlo: “We believe that Alyssa is one of the top hitters in the country. She has a beautiful swing and possesses a ton of power. She has a “clutch” mentality and we have seen her get big hits in big games! Bulldog fans are going to love watching her swing the bat. She has great size and athleticism and will be a big contributor on defense in the infield.”
Brea Dickey – Outfielder – 5’5” – Lawrenceville, Ga.
Dickey signs with Georgia after a four-year career at Collins High School where she helped her team to a pair of state championships and a trio of region championships. She earned first team all-county, all-region and all-state honors in each of her final three seasons. Dickey also owns the school records in stolen bases and triples and led her team in batting average, RBI, hits, triples and stolen bases in three seasons. Dickey played travel ball for the GA Impact, CH Eagles, Worth Cobras and GA ICE. In her travel ball career, she had a fifth-place finish at the 2011-12 ASA Eastern Nationals and a fifth and 14th-place finish at the USFA World Series in 2011 and 2009, respectively.
Dickey is a member of the Torch Scholarship Program and also played soccer and ran track. Brea is the daughter of Fred and Amy Dickey. She has one sister, Mariah, who was a member of the UGA soccer team from 2012-13.
Harris-Champer on Dickey: “Brea is a competitor. She comes from an athletic family, a very good high school program and has been a part of championship teams. She is a good athlete with a lot of softball savvy on the offensive side. She has a knack for making things happen on offense and using her speed. We look forward to her being a part of Georgia Softball.
Lacey Sumerlin – Infielder – 5’10” – Mobile, Ala.
Sumerlin signs with Georgia after attending Baker High School, where she has been a standout infielder. A three-year letter winner, Sumerlin earned all-county, all-region and player of the week honors as a freshman. In her sophomore season, she again was named to both the all-county and all-region team, before picking up all-state honors. She became a three-time selection to the all-county and all-region reams, as well as, a two-year honoree on the all-state team as a senior. Sumerlin was also named to the North All-Star team in 2014. Sumerlin spent eight years at the travel ball level as a member of the West Mobile Express before moving to the NJ Intensity in 2012, where she currently plays.
Sumerlin also participates in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is a member of the Honor Roll and lettered in academics as well. Lacey is the daughter of Tim and Michelle Sumerlin and has one brother, Nic.
Harris-Champer on Sumerlin: “Lacey brings size and athleticism to our team at the shortstop position. She plays with a lot of fight and determination, which is going to fit in well with our program. We are really excited about Lacey and feel that her best days as a softball player are in front of her. We look forward to watching her blossom in a Red and Black uniform.”
