VIDEO: Michael Graves Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Head softball coach Michael Graves has announced the addition of seven talented athletes in the 2026 class and a boost to the 2025 roster, bringing in a powerful bat to strengthen the Eagles lineup.
"They're all very athletic," Graves said. "If you look at it on paper, we kind of went pitching heavy, but in saying that, we have some very good bats among those pitchers and pitchers that will play multiple positions while they are here. Plus, we have a couple of elite middle infielders."
Santana Anderson / Jr. / 1B/UT / Fairmont, NC (Limestone)
An immediate impact addition comes from within the conference, as Graves made a splash this offseason by bringing the talented Santana Anderson in from Limestone.
In her freshman season with the Saints, Anderson started all 48 games, hitting .416 with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs. Her batting average was good for 8th in the conference while her 16 home runs ranked 2nd. She was also 5th in RBIs, leading to second-team all-conference honors.
In the 2024 season, Anderson was equally effective, starting 40 games and hitting .395 with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs, remaining one of the best power hitters in the South Atlantic Conference.
"One thing is that I don't have to pitch to her anymore," Graves said. "It seems like she has had very good games against Carson-Newman, and she has had very good games against a lot of conference opponents. I feel glad that I've got her on my team now… She had a tremendous fall and she is going to fit nicely into the middle of the lineup."
Reese Winchester / 2B / El Cajon, CA / Foothills Christian High School
One of the talented middle infielders comes from the west coast, as Reese Winchester will bring her talents to Jefferson City.
Winchester brings a lot to the table both offensively and defensively. In the 2024 high school season, Winchester hit an impressive .444 with three home runs for the Knights. Defensively, Winchester was second on the team in 2023 in fielding assists.
Winchester is one of two west coast recruits for Graves and Co. in the 2026 class, with the other being her high school teammate Emma Romeka.
"I was very fortunate that Reese kind of found us," Graves said. "She has some family in Kentucky and she was looking at some schools around this area. She found Carson-Newman, and she loved it. She had a very good teammate in Emma Romeka that is an outstanding pitcher from the west coast, so she brought her out here and she liked it too. We are very fortunate to land both of them."
Emma Romeka / P / El Cajon, CA / Foothills Christian High School
Romeka will join the Eagles following an impressive AAU and high school career. In AAU, Romeka earned first-team honors in multiple tournaments with the most recent coming at the Zoom Into June and Fireworks NIT, both in 2024.
Through her junior year of high school, Romeka has tallied 499 strikeouts, earning the Alliance National Player of the Month twice. She also has served as team captain each of the last three seasons at Foothills Christian, has been the team MVP in 2023 and 2024, and earned most valuable female athlete at Foothills Christian following the 2024 season.
The Eagles prevailed in a recruiting battle for Romeka featuring a pair of division I schools in UC Riverside and the University of California San Diego.
"Emma is going to throw a lot of different stuff," Graves said. "She is a east-to-west type of pitcher. She throws at a great speed."
Lacey Keck / P/OF / Knoxville, Tenn. / Gibbs High School
Another talented arm comes from C-N's backyard in Lacey Keck, heading to Mossy Creek from Gibbs High School.
Keck is a dual threat, posting impressive numbers in the circle and at the plate. In the 2023-24 season, Keck posted career-high numbers. At the plate, Keck hit a staggering .482 with 54 RBIs, 12 more than her sophomore season. In the circle, she posted a 1.91 ERA with 226 strikeouts. Her efforts in 2023-24 led to 5 Star Preps, Knox News, and Knoxville Focus Player of the Year selections as well as a state title for Gibbs.
Keck chose Carson-Newman over multiple in-state schools such as King and Tusculum.
"She's a lefty, and Holly [Tucker-Vance] loves her lefty pitchers," Graves said. "She's also going to help us out in the outfield and with her bat."
Kaliah Merritt / P / Wayne, WV / Wayne High School
The next addition hails from the state of West Virginia in Kaliah Merritt, who also provides the potential to play multiple positions.
In an impressive freshman season, Merritt tallied a 2.37 ERA with 121 strikeouts. At the plate, she hit .439 with three home runs. Her performance in her freshman season led to a first-team All-Cardinal Conference selection as well as an all-state honorable mention.
Merritt missed her sophomore and junior seasons due to injury, but Graves and his staff are confident in what they have seen from the talented West Virginia native.
"She throws a lot of downward type pitching with a lot of spin," Graves said. "She's also throwing mid 60s, so we are very excited about that."
Atiana Stamper / P / Knoxville, Tenn. / Halls High School
Stamper marks another talented addition from within the Volunteer state, further bolstering an impressive pitching class.
The Knoxville native was lights out in her junior season, posting a 0.76 ERA while fanning 212 batters in a stellar year. Stamper helped lead Halls to a district and regional title, while finishing third in states.
The Eagles won another competitive in-state battle for Stamper, earning her commitment over Vol State and Roane State.
"She moves the ball tremendously well," Graves said. "Her spin rate is phenomenal… We got to see her at the state tournament, and she opened it with a no-hitter."
Malyiah Smith / SS/UT / Knoxville, Tenn. / Gibbs High School
The Eagles continue the trend of acquiring talented athletes from Gibbs High School with the addition of Malyiah Smith.
While it is a pitching heavy class, Graves also added a pair of talented middle infielders with Smith being one of them. In her Gibbs career, Smith has been nothing short of excellent at the plate, hitting above .450 in all three seasons with two years at or above the .500 mark. Most recently, Smith was named to the all-state team, the All-Prep Xtra first team, and Miss Softball of Class 3A in 2024.
In his evaluation of Smith, Graves made comparisons to one of his former players.
"I keep saying that we need to find another Leah Sohm," Graves said. "She is the closest I have been able to find with that. She brings an elite arm with tremendous range in the six hole."
Anne Marie Richards / C/3B / Thompsons Station, Tenn. / Summit High School
Rounding out the C-N class is another talented Tennessee native who has succeeded both behind the plate and at the hot corner in Anne Marie Richards.
Richards has succeeded at both the AAU and high school levels, tallying a .539 average in the 2024 AAU season with three home runs and 25 RBIs, while accumulating a .375 average with 10 home runs and 67 RBIs through her junior season at Summit High School.
Defensively, she has also been stellar, earning the district defensive player of the year award in 2024 while also being named to the all-district team.
With an impressive class of signees, the Eagles have talent that will contribute immediately, while the majority will wait in the wings for the 2026 season.
For updates on the 2025 Carson-Newman softball season, visit cneagles.com and follow us on social media @cn_eagles.
