EAST GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T softball head coach Patti Raduenz announced the addition of five players to her 2022-23 recruiting class. 

"This is a great signing class for A&T," Raduenz said. "I couldn't ask for a more competitive group of student-athletes who truly love to win but hate losing even more. This group is even more special because they are tremendous teammates that love to see the girl next to her succeed."

The five future Aggies are Sierra Baldwin (5-foot-8, C/UTL, Lawton, Mich., Battle Creek Central), Megan Hope Ellis (5-7, INF, Creedmoor, N.C., South Granville HS), Makayla Layton (5-8, UTL, Edgewater, Fla., Winter Springs HS), Tara Lepore (5-5, 2B/CF, Hubert, N.C., Swansboro HS) and Katriel Williams (5-6, OF, Waxhaw, N.C., Marvin Ridge HS).

Baldwin's varsity softball team named her MVP and captain during a season when she batted .821. Baldwin also played baseball for the Steinmetz College Prep, a public varsity baseball team out of Chicago. She earned Joe Maddon first-team all-conference honors with Steinmetz College Prep, where she was also a team captain. Her 2021 softball club team, the Carolina Cardinals National 16U, was ranked in the top-25 in the country.  

"Sierra has been competing against the guys most of her life with a baseball background," Raduenz said. 

"She brings us a mobile catcher with a super bat and the ability to run bases very well."

Ellis played four years of varsity softball and volleyball at South Granville High School. During the 2019 and 2021 seasons, Ellis was a member of the Northern Carolina All-Conference team and the Northern Carolina Conference All-District team. She led South Granville to the Class 2A championship game, where they lost in the final.  

"Megan can play anywhere on the infield, whether you put her on the corner or in the middle," Raduenz said. "You will know A&T is in the house when Megan is around. Her voice and energy are contagious."

During Layton's freshman season, Winter Springs High School went 31-0 and won the state championship. 

"Makayla is a multi-tool type of player," Raduenz said. "She can do so many things for this program, whether it's her range at middle infield or her skill behind the plate as a catcher. She also has great quickness and high IQ offensively."

Extra Innings ranked Lepore, the 81st-best outfielder during her senior season. In addition, she secured all-district honors as a freshman. She also qualified for the state meet in the pole vault for Swansboro High School.   

"Tara is a speedster on the bases and in the outfield," Raduenz said. "She's a fierce competitor that is up to any challenge you throw her way."

Williams earned first-team honors from Union County High School Softball during the 2021 season. She also made the Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) All-District team and All-State honors. The Southern Carolina 3A Conference also named her all-conference. She led Marvin Ridge to the Union County title in 2019. 

 "Katriel brings to us a tremendous base running threat and a terrific outfielder," Raduenz said. "Her passion is to run, and she will always find ways to get runs on the board."