Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University has announced the addition of pitcher Hailey Lucas to its softball team. Head coach Jen Sewell expressed enthusiasm about the signing, highlighting Lucas's skills and potential impact on the team. "First of all, what a get for us on the pitching front," Sewell stated. She added that fans will be eager to see Lucas pitch alongside fellow signee Brooklynn Danielson.

Lucas, a right-handed pitcher from Palatine, Illinois, has had a successful high school career at William Fremd High School. She earned accolades such as two-time All-State and All-Conference honors and was named Conference Co-Player of the Year twice. In her junior year, she achieved a 0.67 ERA with 276 strikeouts and previously recorded a .495 batting average with 13 home runs.

In addition to her high school achievements, Lucas played for the IL Chill 18 Gold Club team during the summer. Coach Sewell praised her performance against top clubs and noted her unique approach to pitching: "Hailey pitched incredibly well this summer with her Chill team against some of the top clubs and signees in the country."

Lucas is part of SIU's 2025 recruiting class that includes infielder Jordan Stewart, pitcher Brooklynn Danielson, and center fielder/utility player Delaney Osborne.

For updates on Southern Illinois University's softball team, fans can follow them on Twitter at @SIU_Softball, Facebook at Facebook.com/SalukiSoftball, Instagram at @SIU_Softball or download the "Salukis" Mobile App available on both App Store and Google Play Store.