STATE WELCOMES 11 IN 2025 RECRUITING CLASS

BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State softball head coach Kristina McSweeney announced the additions of 11 student-athletes to the program when the Jackrabbits enter the 2025 fall semester.

Expected to attend SDSU next fall includes Ella Berlage (Prosper, Texas), Tess Burns (Brookings, S.D.), Kymber Buys (Brookings, S.D.), Isabella Dunn (Plano, Texas), Ella Langenhorst (Larchwood, Iowa), Bella MacMahon (Grapevine, Texas), Emerson Markas (Bethel, Minn.), Macelyn Morrow (Kearney, Mo.), Libby Munn (Joplin, Mo.), Grace Proctor (Topeka, Kan.) and Bria Riebel (Hampshire, Ill.).

"We are really excited for our incoming 2025 class," McSweeney said. "There is a ton of talent, speed and athleticism in this class. This group will definitely contribute right away and keep the success of the program going in the right direction."

Ella Berlage | 5-10 | Infield | R/R | Prosper, Texas | Walnut Grove HS
Ella Berlage is is in the midst of her senior year at Walnut Grove High School in Prosper, Texas, where she plays both volleyball and softball. Berlage has achieved notable awards earning her District Offensive Player of the Year accolades in 2024 as well as Dallas Morning News All-Area Team recognition. Her high school season as a junior in 2024 saw Berlage hit .521 over the course of 41 games to go along with nine home runs, 21 doubles, seven triples, 59 RBIs and 53 runs scored.

She was a member of a Wildcat team that was a regional semifinalist in 2024, while she was a Texas State semifinalist in 2022 at Rock Hill High School. There she was First Team All-Dallas Metroplex in 2023 and Dallas Morning News Newcomer of the Year in 2022. Her freshman and sophomore school stats saw her accumulate a .440 batting average, 15 home runs, 117 RBIs, .531 on-base percentage and 134 hits.

Berlage is ranked No. 68 in the ExtraInnings Elite 100 for the Class of 2025. She's ranked No. 64 by FPN for the Class of 2025 and is the No. 16 utility player for the Class of 2025. Berlage plans to focus in studying data science at SDSU.

Tess Burns | 5-10 | Pitcher | R/R | Brookings, South Dakota | Brookings HS
Tess Burns will stay in town for her collegiate career as the makes the move from Brookings High School. Burns is a multiple sport athlete for the Bobcats as she participates in volleyball and basketball along with softball.

Burns was an all-conference performer for Brookings High this past spring. Also appearing in the outfield, Burns hit .396 and had four home runs while registering a .508 on-base percentage. She had 44 strikeouts in the circle.

Burns has been strong in the classroom earning multiple Academic All-State honors. She also received the White Letter Award. Both her parents attended SDSU while her father, Tim, played football for the Jackrabbits. Burns plans to major in marketing.

Kymber Buys | 5-8 | Outfield |R/R | Brookings, South Dakota | Brookings HS
Kymber Buys will also stay in town as she joins the Yellow and Blue from Brookings High School. Buys is a multiple sport standout as she's earned Scholar Awards in softball, volleyball, basketball and choir over the course of her prep career.

Buys has been a three-time all-conference performer in softball and was selected to the All-State Tournament Team in 2022. As a junior Buys hit .397 with six home runs and a .793 slugging percentage. She also hit over .300 as a sophomore with four home runs and a .672 slugging percentage.

Buys has been Brookings High's MVP in volleyball twice. She had a career-high 60 assists in a game and surpassed 1,000 assists in volleyball as a junior in 2023. She was named her basketball team's Best Defensive Player in 2022. Buys plans to major in criminology at SDSU.

Isabella Dunn | 5-6 | Outfield | L/L | Plano, Texas | Plano West Senior HS
Isabella Dunn is a senior at Plano West Senior High School. Dunn earned back-to-back Offensive Player of the Year honors for her high school in 2023 and 2024. As a junior, Dunn batted .394 and recorded a .456 on-base percentage. The lefty is a three-time First Team All-District selection. Dunn plans to major in education.

Ella Langenhorst | 5-8 Infield | L/R | Larchwood, Iowa | West Lyon HS
Ella Langenhorst currently attends West Lyon High School in Larchwood, Iowa. Langenhorst has previously earned First Team All-Northwest recognition by the Iowa Review. She also was an Iowa Top 2025 Infielder selection.

Langenhorst has had success in the summer claiming 2024 MVP at the Perfect Game Tournament held in Kansas City. She also was an All-Tournament Team honoree at the 2022 Colorado Sparkler. This past summer Langenhorst hit .520 which included a .588 on-base percentage, 1.608 OPS and 1.020 slugging percentage as she earned her team's Offensive Player of the Year award. Langenhorst plans to major in nursing.

Bella MacMahon | 5-10 | Pitcher | R/R | Grapevine, Texas | Grapevine HS
Bella MacMahon is another Lone Star State addition as she's currently in her senior year at Grapevine High School. Most recently, MacMahon was named to the Dallas-Fort Worth Area Players to Watch List for 2024-25.

She's been named to back-to-back TFL Summer Championship All-Tournament Teams along with this year being on the Texas Glory Summer Shootout All-Tournament First Team. This summer MacMahon pitched 91.2 innings and recorded a 1.98 ERA while registering a 1.23 WHIP mark and 1.9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Across her last two high school seasons she's accumulated an under 1.80 ERA.

MacMahon has previously been an Alliance Top 10 National Performer in ERA last fall. She's been a TFL Fastpitch Player of the Month, earned National Pitcher of the Tournament and won an Alliance Tier 1 national championship in 2022. She was rated No. 74 in ExtraInnings' Extra Elite 100 rankings in 2021. MacMahon, who has been an Academic All-District performer and A Honor Roll member, plans to major in nursing at South Dakota State. .

Emerson Markas | 5-7 | Catcher | L/L | Bethel, Minnesota | St. Francis HS
Emerson Markas is a multiple sport standout at St. Francis High School. In softball she's been a two-time all-section performer and earned an all-conference nod. Markas helped her high school team win a section title in 2024 while they finished runner-up in 2023. At her catcher position she was her team's Defensive MVP in 2023 and 2024, while she is a four-time varsity letterwinner. Last season she batted .322 with five home runs, 26 RBIs, 27 runs scored and 17 walks. Behind the plate she caught 188 innings. She caught 10 runners stealing (over 40%) and picked off 11 runners.

Markas has played basketball and soccer for St. Francis as well. She was an all-conference selection in soccer this fall, while she was given her basketball team's hustle award for 2022 and 2023.

Markas has been an academic all-conference honoree each of her prep years. She is a member of the National Honor Society in which she currently serves as Vice President. Markas plans to major in civil engineering.

Macelyn Morrow | 5-5 | Outfield | R/R | Kearney, Missouri | Kearney HS
Macelyn Morrow is currently a senior at Kearney High School in Missouri. She is a three-time all-district, all-region and all-conference selection. Morris has also been tabbed All-State on two occasions.

Morrow was a contributor to a state championship team in 2022. She was a finalist for the state's Outfielder of the Year award in 2023. Last year Morris batted .491 with a .521 on-base percentage. Her first two prep campaigns saw her hit over .474 at the plate. Morrow plans to major in psychology.

Libby Munn | 5-6 | Outfield | R/R | Joplin, Missouri | Joplin HS
Libby Munn is a senior outfielder at Joplin High School. She helped lead the Eagles to a conference championship in 2024. She hit a career-high eight home runs as a sophomore. In the classroom she is a four-time Academic All-State performer. She also is a standout in track and field as she holds her school record in the javelin. Munn plans to major in business economics.

Grace Proctor | 5-7 | Pitcher/1st Base | L/L | Topeka, Kansas | Shawnee Heights HS
Grace Proctor pitches and plays first base while currently attending Shawnee Heights High School in Kansas. Proctor is a two-time all-conference First Team performer and has also earned a Second Team nod. She also earned a First Team All-County selection in 2023.

That season saw Proctor and the Thunderbirds finish third at the state tournament. In 2024 she had a strong season at the plate hitting .393 with seven doubles, five home runs and 26 RBIs to go along with a .500 on-base percentage. An Academic Honor Roll recipient that plans to major in sport management, Proctor has multiple family members that played in MLB organizations in the minor leagues.

Bria Riebel | 5-6 | Infield | R/R | Hampshire, Illinois | Hampshire HS
Bria Riebel is a standout in the infield that hails from Hampshire, Illinois. Riebel has been a first team all-conference three seasons and honorable mention to her All-State team on two occasions, including a Second Team All-State nod as a junior.

Last year Riebel batted .556 while she recorded a 1.623 OPS and 1.034 slugging percentage. As a sophomore she hit .469 and had a 1.350 OPS mark and .858 slugging percentage.

Riebel plans to major in business.

-GoJacks.com-

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Upcoming Event: Softball versus St. Thomas on April 24, 2026 at 4 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball versus St. Thomas on April 25, 2026 at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball versus St. Thomas on April 26, 2026 at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball at North Dakota State on April 30, 2026 at 4 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball at North Dakota State on May 1, 2026 at 3 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball at North Dakota State on May 2, 2026 at 1 p.m.

Completed Event: Softball at Omaha on April 19, 2026 , Loss , 1, to, 5

Completed Event: Softball at Omaha on April 18, 2026 , Loss , 4, to, 7

Completed Event: Softball at Omaha on April 17, 2026 , Loss , 1, to, 7

Completed Event: Softball at Iowa on April 12, 2026 , Win , 7, to, 4

Completed Event: Softball versus Georgia Tech on April 12, 2026 , Loss , 1, to, 10 , 5 Inn.

Completed Event: Softball at Iowa on April 11, 2026 , Win , 3, to, 2 , 8 Inn.

South Dakota State University Athletics

STATE WELCOMES 11 IN 2025 RECRUITING CLASS

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