GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina softball team will add six incoming transfers to its roster for the upcoming 2024 softball season according to an announcement by third-year head coach Shane Winkler on Thursday afternoon.

Catcher Annie Kate Dalton (North Carolina), outfielder Emma Jackson (Virginia Tech), utility Morgan Johnson (Clemson), utility Makenzie Mason (UConn), infielder Hailey Massaro (Ohio State) and infielder Mary-Kathryn Scott (College of Charleston) will join the 12 returners from last year’s 27-win team and the incoming freshman class of Kanisha Anderson, Taylor Apple, Kaleigh Ayscue, Devin Long and Hannah Evans.

“I’m excited to welcome this group of transfers to ECU,” Winkler said. “We worked extremely hard this summer to make sure that we not only brought in players that can make a major impact in our lineup but will also fit our culture. We accomplished just that. This group is going to help put us in a position to compete in an even tougher American Athletic Conference for years to come.”

Annie Kate Dalton | Catcher | Graduate | Murphy, N.C. (North Carolina)

2023 (at North Carolina): Appeared in 18 games, making 13 starts at catcher … Recorded first career throw out vs. Ole Miss (Feb. 10) … Went 2-of-2 at the plate vs. NC Central, tallying a career-high four RBIs (Feb. 21) … Batted .200 with seven hits, six RBIs, five walks, two runs and two doubles … Threw out five runners, including three vs. Wisconsin (Feb. 24).

2022 (at North Carolina): Appeared in 15 games, making five starts … Went 2-of-2 at the plate in second career start vs. No. 17 Missouri (Feb. 18) … Plated the winning run vs. NC Central (Apr. 20), ending the game in five innings with an RBI base hit … Had an on-base percentage of .261 on the season, recording four hits, a walk and a hit by pitch … All-ACC Academic Honor Roll.

High School: Two-year letter winner at Murphy High School, playing catcher/third baseman for coach Thomas Nelson … Earned all-district and all-state honors in 2018 and 2019 … Two-time Smoky Mountain Conference Offensive Player of the Year … Home run leader for western North Carolina as a freshman … A football letter winner as a kicker, Dalton helped Murphy High School to two state titles … Played travel ball for Georgia Impact under coach Jason Gusaeff … A North Carolina Scholar, a Junior Marshal and a member of the Beta Club at Murphy High School … Ranked sixth in her graduating class.

Emma Jackson | Outfield | Sophomore | Chincoteague, Va. (Virginia Tech)

2023 (at Virginia Tech): Appeared in 27 games for the Hokies and made 14 starts, primarily as the designated player… Recorded 12 hits and scored 14 run in 45 at bats… Posted a triple and four home runs with 10 RBI… Finished the season with a .556 slugging percentage and .327 on base percentage… Recorded first career hit against Abilene Christian with a double (2/24)… Hit the game-tying home run in the top of the seventh against No. 9 Texas in the Hokies comeback win (2/24)… followed that up with a home run and three RBI against Texas Southern (2/25)… Went two-for three against Mount St. Mary’s with a home run and two RBI… Hit a home run in the win over North Carolina (3/10)… Had a hit and scored two runs in the win over Liberty (3/28).

High School: Letterwinner at Chincoteague High School in Virginia … Named First Team ESVA All District, VHSLRegion 1A Player of the Year, and VHSL Class 1 First Team All-State in 2022 … 2022 Extra Inning Softball All-American … Finished her senior year with a .700 batting average, 13 home runs, 37 RBI, 41 runs scored and 10 stolen bases … Struck out just once in 17 games in 2022 …  Two-time First Team All-District honoree as well as the 2021 Player of the Year … Over 25 games at Chincoteague, she posted a .580 average with seven home runs and 4 RBI … As a member of Starz Gold, the slugger finished 2022 season with a .421 average, 56 hits, 11 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs, 31 RBI, 34 runs and 22 stolen bases.

Morgan Johnson | Utility | Graduate | Evans, Ga. (Clemson)

2023 (at Clemson):  NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete … ACC Academic Honor Roll … Appeared in 16 games as a pinch hitter … Held a .308 average with four hits and one RBI this season … Clocked her first hit of the season at FIU (Feb. 9) … Tallied a hit and RBI vs. Kansas City (Feb. 11) … Recorded a double vs. Bryant (March 10) … Scored one run vs. Mercer (March 8).

2022 (at Clemson): Missed season due to injury.

2021 (at Clemson): Appeared in 30 games and started nine games, including five in right field and four as the designated player … Hit .350 in 40 total at bats, with eight runs, three doubles, four homers, a .725 slugging percentage and a .480 on-base percentage … Went 8-for-17 (.471) as a pinch hitter on the season … Recorded pinch-hit double to lead off the seventh before eventually scoring in Clemson’s first-ever NCAA Regional elimination game against Troy (May 22) at the Tuscaloosa Regional … Belted a walk-off home run as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth in Clemson’s 8-0 win over Elon (Feb. 28) … ACC Academic Honor Roll recipient.

2020 (at Clemson):  Started in all four appearances before suffering an injury against St. John’s (Feb. 9) … Earned her first career hit and recorded a pair of RBIs against St. John’s (Feb. 9) … ACC Academic Honor Roll recipient.

High School: In 2018, team placed sixth in state while being named to the First Team All-Region … In 2019, team placed third in state while being named to the First Team All-Region and GDAC All-State.

Makenzie Mason | Utility | Senior | Fayetteville, N.C. (UConn)

2022 (at UConn): Made appearances in ten games…Scored two runs, with a .333 on base percentage.

2021 (at UConn): Appeared in 22 games with 18 starts… Produced six hits, three RBI, a triple, and scored five runs… Batted .128 and slugged .170… On-base percentage of .255… Picked up first-career stolen base April 2 at DePaul… 17 putouts… Fielded .970.

High School: Four-year letterwinner at Grays Creek High School and Freedom Christian… Finished the 2019 season with a .719 batting average, which ranked #15 in the nation… Led the county in hits and runs scored, finished 5th in RBIs, held an on-base percentage of .732 (Ranked 50th in Nation) and posted a .914 fielding percentage… Also earned 910 Preps Athlete of the Week honors and a selection to the 2019 East-West All Star Game for American Legion Fast-Pitch… Three-time (2017-19) All-State selection… Earned North Carolina (All-District, All Conference, PowerAde State Team and All-County) team honors in both 2018 and 2019… Assisted Freedom Christian to back-to-back appearances in the State Championship game, which included winning the 2016 State Championship where she was named Defensive MVP of the game… Garnered 2017 Offensive MVP honors and assisted Freedom Christian to a State Runner-Up finish… Competed three seasons on the Virginia Glory Premier Gold National team… Assisted the team to a ninth-place finish in the 2019 USA Elite Select World Fastpitch Championships, fifth-place in the 2019 Louisville Slugger IDT, and a 2019 US Club ranking of 43… Three-time Scholar Athlete Award recipient (2017-19), a three-year member of National Honor Society (2017-19), and a graduate of the West Point Summer Leadership Course… Also featured in the Fayetteville Observer.

Hailey Massaro | Infield | Sophomore | Wooster, Ohio (Ohio State)

2023 (at Ohio State): Appeared in one game for the Buckeyes.

High School: First Team All-Ohio selection during her senior season in the spring of 2022 … Helped Triway win its first-ever Division II state championship with a 2-1 title-game win over Jonathan Alder … Was one of eight finalists for the Roy S. Bates Foundation Player of the Year award … Named the 2021 Daily Record Softball Player of the Year after tying the state record with 86 RBI … Graduated as Triway’s career leader in home runs in addition to being a first team all-conference and the district most valuable player … Was a two-sport athlete at Triway who also excelled on the volleyball court as a setter for the Titans … Played travel ball for the Ohio Hawks … In 2021, she helped her team to a second place showing at the Junior Olympic Cup while leading the squad in both home runs and RBI … A National Honors Society student who was the treasurer of the student council for four years.

Mary-Kathryn Scott | Infield | Sophomore | Easley, S.C. (College of Charleston)

2023 (at College of Charleston): Appeared and started in 43 games for the Cougars … Hit .214 at the plate with 14 RBI, six doubles and two home runs … Recorded 78 assists with 65 putouts for a .960 fielding percentage … Tallied two home runs against Drexel (April 7) … Recorded her first collegiate hit with two including a double against Canisius (Feb. 17).

High School: Graduated from Easley High School in Easley, S.C … Named to the all-state team three times … Chosen to the all-region team each season and was a two-time player of the year … Helped team win region and upper state titles and finish fourth at the state tournament … Played travel ball for Mojo Fisher … Competed for the Easley basketball team and led the region in steals to earn a spot on the all-region team.