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Coaching Staff

Michaela Transue | NY Rise Head Coach
Head Coach

Michaela Transue

  • Assistant Coach at Binghamton University (2023-Current)
  • Assistant Coach / Grad Assistant at Missouri (2020-2022)
  • FGCL Champions and Coach of the Year (2020)
  • Played at Hofstra University (2014-2018) under HOF coach Bill Edwards
ToniMarie Valeriano | New York Rise Assistant Coach
Assistant Coach

ToniMarie Valeriano

Competed at CUNY Queens College for four years as a two-way player. Named ECC Rookie of the year in 2015. Part of the ECC Championship team in 2015. Four time All ECC honoree. Two time All East Region honoree. Pitched 398 innings compiling a 3.23 ERA as well as a career .312 batting average.

Attended Mepham High School in Bellmore, Long Island. Two time All Long Island and All State Honoree. Named Nassau County Pitcher of the Year in 2013. Holds the record for most strikeouts in a single game (18).

Current owner of T2 Softball Academy in Farmingdale, NY where she works with female athletes of all ages, specifically on pitching.

Players

Jenna Laird | New York Rise

Jenna Laird

  • Positions: SS / IF
  • College: University of Missouri
  • High School: East Meadow High School
  • Club Teams: Team Long Island, Tampa Mustangs TJ
  • Hometown: East Meadow, NY

Career Highlights

  • 2022-2024: All-SEC Second Team
  • 2022 Rawlings Golden Glove Award
  • 2021 SEC-First Team and SEC Freshman of the Year

Jenna finished with a .351 batting average, .487 slugging percentage, and .432 on base percentage in her 246 games played with the Mizzou Tigers – all of which she started.

Kayla Wedl | New York Rise

Kayla Wedl

  • Positions: OF / IF
  • Previous Pro Team: Athletes Unlimited, USSSA Pride
  • College: University of Illinois Chicago
  • High School: Wauconda High School
  • Club Team: Illinois Chill
  • Hometown: Wauconda, Ill

Career Highlights

  • Two year pro with USSSA Pride (2023, 2022)
  • Earned a spot with Athletes Unlimited after attending the first ever open tryout (2021)
  • Horizon League Player of the Year (2021, 2019)
  • NFCA All-Great Lakes Region First Team (2021)
  • Became the first player in Horizon League history to lead the League in eight offensive categories in a single season
  • One of the most decorated athletes in UIC history with a career batting avg. of .378, 43 HR, 190 RBI and 82 SB in 240 games at UIC
Sami Williams | New York Rise

Sami Williams

  • Postions: SS / 2B / 3B
  • Previous Pro Teams: OKC Spark, Athletes Unlimited
  • College: Iowa State University
  • High School: Dana Hills High School, CA
  • Club Team: Corona Angels
  • Hometown: Chicago, IL

Career Highlights

  • 2021 NFCA First Team All-American
  • 2x NFCA DI All-Midwest Region First Team (2017, 2021)
  • 3x All-Big 12 First Team (2017, 2019, 2021)
  • 2x Big 12 Softball Student-Athlete of the Year (2019, 2021)
  • Big 12 Freshman Team (2017)
  • Honorable Mention All-American by Softball America (2019)
  • 4x CoSIDA Academic All-American (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
  • NFCA National Freshman of the Year finalist (2017)
  • 4x Academic All-Big 12 First Team (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
  • 2x NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee 2021, 2020
Makena Smith | New York Rise

Makena Smith

  • Positions: C / 3B
  • Pro Experience: Vipers, JDL Shining Vega (Japan)
  • Colleges: Cal Berkeley
  • High School: Murrieta Valley High School
  • Club Teams: So Cal Choppers
  • Hometown: Murietta, CA

Career Highlights

  • 2023 NFCA Third Team All American
  • 2022: NFCA Third Team All American
  • 2022: First Team All Pac-12
Laurin Krings | New York Rise

Laurin Krings

  • Positions: Pitcher
  • College: University of Missouri
  • High School: Loveland High School
  • Club Teams: Nebraska Gold
  • Hometown: Loveland, Colorado

Career Highlights

  • 2024: SEC All-Defensive Team and the SEC All-Tournament Team.
  • 2023: Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week (April 25, 2023)
  • SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week (April 25, 2023)
  • No-Hitter vs. North Texas (April 21, 2023)
  • 2022: No-Hitter vs. Bethune-Cookman (Feb. 19, 2022)
  • Perfect Game vs. Bradley (March 6, 2022)

Compiled a career 2.79 ERA with a 57-32 record and 599 strikeouts in her 604.2 innings pitched during her time as a Tiger.

Courtney Wyche | New York Rise

Courtney Wyche

  • Positions: RHP
  • College: The University of Maryland
  • High School: Montgomery Blair High School
  • Hometown: Silver Springs, Maryland
  • Club: Birmingham Thunderbolts and Lady Lightning Gold

Career Highlights

  • 2024: Named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team, Named to the Big Ten All-Second Team, Led the Big Ten in strikeouts (243), NCAA Pitcher of the Week (3/29)
  • 2023: Named to the All Big Ten Second Team, named to the NFCA Midwest All Region Second team
  • 2022: Named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week (4/25), the first honor for a pitcher since Maryland joined the conference in 2015

Ended her five year career with the Maryland Terps with a 3.38 ERA in her 636.2 innings pitched. Finished third all-time in career strikeouts (668) and tied for fourth all-time in shutouts (13).

Ashley Trierweiler | New York Rise

Ashley Trierweiler

  • Positions: 1B/OF
  • College: Grand Canyon University, Santa Clara University
  • High School: Carlmont High School
  • Hometown: Belmont, California

Career Highlights

  • 2024: National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s All-West Region second team
  • 2023: Named Second Team D1Softball All-American, Third Team NFCA All-American, First Team NFCA All-Pacific Region, Second Team CSC Academic All-America®, First Team All-WCC, WCC All-Academic and Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators
  • 2022: Named First Team All-WCC for the second-straight season, WCC All-Academic Team
  • 2021: Schutt Sports/NFCA DI Freshman of the Year nominee, WCC Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-WCC
Mariah Lopez | New York Rise

Mariah Lopez

  • Positions: LHP
  • College: The University of Utah
  • High School: Centennial High School
  • Hometown: Peoria, Arizona
  • Club: Firecrackers Arizona

Career Highlights.

  • 2024: All-Pac-12 First-team
  • 2023: NFCA Third-Team All-American
  • 2023: NFCA First-team All-Pacific Region
  • 2023: All-Pac-12 First-team
  • 2023: Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player
  • 2022: Compiled an 8-5 record in 18 starts and 25 total appearances

During her four year career with the Utes, Lopez held a 2.81 ERA in her 600.2 innings pitched. She is the first pitcher for The University of Utah to have back to back 20+ win seasons (2024/2023).

Nicole Mendes | New York Rise

Nicole Mendes

  • Positions: OF, 1B
  • Pro Experience: Athletes Unlimited
  • College: University of Oklahoma
  • Club Teams: Texas Hotshots
  • Hometown: Houston, TX

Career Highlights

  • Won two WCWS national championships with OU (2017, 2021)
  • Named to WCWS All-Tournament Team (2017, 2019, 2021)
  • All-Region First Team selection (2017)
  • All-Big 12 First Team honoree (2017)
  • Academic All-Big 12 First Team Selection (2021)
  • All-Big 12 Second Team honoree (2018, 2019)
  • At OU, finished second in program history for triples with 15 and ranks 10th in program history with 46 stolen bases
  • Played for the Mexican National Team in the Tokyo Olympics
  • Softball analyst on ESPN broadcasts
Jailyn Ford | New York Rise

Jailyn Ford

  • Positions: P / 1B
  • Pro Experience: Japanese Softball League (Honda Reverta), USSSA Pride, Akron Racers
  • College: James Madison University (JMU)
  • High School: Bath County High School
  • Club Teams: South Australia Starz, Williamsburg Starz
  • Hometown: Hot Springs, VA

Career Highlights

  • 2022 World Games Gold Medalist for Team USA
  • 2022 Canada Cup Champion for Team USA
  • 2016: NFCA First Team All American, CAA Player of the Year for JMU
  • 2015: NFCA Third Team All American, CAA Player of the Year for JMU
  • 2014: CAA Pitcher of the Year for JMU
Hannah Gammill | New York Rise

Hannah Gammill

  • Positions: C/INF
  • College: The University of Arkansas
  • High School: Beebe High School
  • Hometown: Beebe, Arkansas
  • Club: Birmingham Thunderbolts and Lady Lightning Gold

Career Highlights

  • 2024: All-SEC Defensive Team, Community Service Team
  • 2023: Extra Inning Softball Fayetteville Regional All-Tournament Team, CSC Academic All-District, USA Softball Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List
  • 2022: NFCA First Team All-American, NFCA All-South Region First Team NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete, D1Softball First Team All-American, Softball America First Team All-American, All-SEC First Team, SEC All-Defensive Team
  • 2021: NFCA All-South Region Second Team

In her four years with the Razorbacks Gammil was a .281/.428/.568 career hitter in her 211 games played. A versatile athlete who split time between catcher and third base who held a .965 overall fielding percentage.

Ryan Henry | New York Rise

Ryan Henry

  • Position: C
  • College: Villanova University
  • High School: Ramsey High School
  • Hometown: Ramsey, New Jersey

Career Highlights

  • 2023: All-BIG EAST (Second Team)
  • 2023: Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athlete
  • 2023: Big East All-Academic Team
  • 2022: Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athlete
  • 2022: BIG EAST All-Academic Team
  • 2021: All-BIG EAST (First Team)
  • 2021: NFCA Mideast All-Region Team (Third Team)
  • 2021: Big East Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award

Ended her Villanova career as a two time Big East Champion and as third in school history for career home runs with 31. A career .263/.338/.497 hitter. Has power to all fields and led the BIG EAST with 13 home runs during the 2021 season.

Sarah Cornell | New York Rise

Sarah Cornell

  • Positions: P / DP
  • Previous Pro Team: Amsterdam Pirates
  • Colleges: University of Alabama, Hofstra University
  • High School: WT Clarke High School
  • Club Team: Team Long Island
  • Hometown: Westbury, NY

Career Highlights

  • NY Softball Hall of Famer (2022 Inductee)
  • SEC Pitcher of the Year for Alabama (2019)
  • Colonial Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year for Hofstra (2018)
  • Gatorade New York Softball player of the year (2016)
  • Collegiate Win-Loss record of 49-11
Linnie Malkin | New York Rise

Linnie Malkin

  • Positions: OF / 1B
  • Previous Pro Team: Sparks Haarlem (Amsterdam)
  • Colleges: University of Arkansas
  • High School: Broomfield High School
  • Club Team: Colorado Stars
  • Hometown: Broomfield, CO

Career Highlights

  • NFCA First Team All-American (2022)
  • First Team All-SEC (2022)
  • NFCA All-South Region First Team (2022)
  • NFCA All-South Region Second Team (2021)
  • SEC Academic Honor Roll (2020, 2021)
  • All time home run leader at Arkansas with 50 home runs
  • In her final year at Arkansas, Linnie hit 22 home runs and had 68 RBI in 51 games played, with an OPS of 1.334
Alex Honnold | New York Rise

Alex Honnold

  • Positions: Outfield
  • College: University of Missouri
  • High School: Valley High School
  • Club Teams: Iowa Premier Gold
  • Hometown: West Des Moines, Iowa

Career Highlights

  • 2023: NFCA Second-Team All-American
  • Top 25 Finalist for the 2023 USA Softball Player of the Year
  • 2023 NFCA Second-Team All-Region (Southeast)
  • 2023 All-SEC Second Team
  • 2023 College Sports Communicators Third-Team Academic All-American
  • 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District

A .331/.544/.426 career hitter and held a .987 fielding percentage in her 229 total games played with The University of Missouri. Broke the school record for the most doubles in a singular season with 21 in 2024.

Riley Blampied | New York Rise

Riley Blampied

  • Positions: INF
  • College: University of South Carolina
  • High School: Crisp County High School
  • Hometown: Cordele, Georgia

Career Highlights

  • 2024: College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team
  • 2023: College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team

During her time with the gamecocks she was career .273/.338/.448 hitter alongside a .934 overall fielding percentage.

Chenise Delce | New York Rise

Chenise Delce

  • Positions: P / DP
  • Pro Experience: OKC Spark
  • Colleges: University of Arkansas, University of Tulsa
  • High School: Carl Albert High School
  • Club Teams: OK Athletics
  • Hometown: Edmond, OK

Career Highlights

  • 2023 All-SEC First Team
  • 2022 SEC Pitcher of the Year and SEC Tournament MVP
  • 2022: NFCA Second Team All American
  • 2021: AAC First Team All-American
  • 2019: AAC Rookie of the Year and AAC First Team All-American
Mary Iakopo | New York Rise

Mary Iakopo

  • Position: (C, 5’10, R/R)
  • College: University of Texas
  • High School: Los Alamitos
  • Hometown: Carson, California
  • Professional: Smash It Sports Vipers

Career Highlights

  • 2022: Big 12 Conference Preseason Team
  • 2021: USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List, First Team All-Big 12 Conference
  • 2020: Softball America Preseason Second Team All-American
  • 2019: NFCA First Team All-Central Region
  • 2018: Second Team All-Pac-12 Conference, Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman
Caroline Wang | New York Rise

Caroline Wang

  • Position: C | R / R | 5/7″
  • College: Oklahoma State University / Liberty University
  • High School: Henry County
  • Hometown: Paris, TN

Career Highlights

  • 2021 ASUN All-Tournament Team
  • 2022 ASUN Player of the Year
  • 2022 NFCA All-Southeast Region Third Team
  • 2022 First Team All-ASUN
  • 2022 ASUN Defensive Player of the Year
  • 2022 VaSID All-State first team
  • 2022 ASUN All-Academic Team
  • 2023 ASUN Player of the Year
  • 2022 NFCA All-Southeast Region Second Team
  • 2023 First Team All-ASUN
  • 2023 CSC Academic All-America Third Team
  • 2023 CSC Academic All-District
  • 2023 ASUN All-Academic Team
  • 2024 NFCA Third Team All-American
Sydney McCray | New York Rise

Sydney McCray

  • Positon: OF
  • College: Grand Canyon University, Florida Southwestern State
  • High School: Lakewood Ranch High School
  • Hometown: Bradenton, Florida

Career Highlights

  • 2023: 2nd Team NJCAA All-American
  • 2023: 1st Team FCSAA-All State
  • 2023: 1st Team All-Southern Conference
  • 2023: 2nd Team NFCA All-South Region
  • 2023: NJCAA National Tournament All-Tournament Team
  • 2023: Southern Conference All-Academic Team

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