Cyclones Ink Six as Part of Top 50 Recruiting Class

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head coach Jamie Pinkerton has announced the signings of six prospective athletes to National Letters of Intent.

The Cyclones have signed high schoolers Sammi Boggs, Kandace Burnett, Lauren Hagedorn, Trinity Jensen and Mallie Stoner as well as Kirkwood CC product Addison Ohda. The six-player class is ranked 45th nationally by D1Softball and is the seventh-highest in the Big 12 according to the outlet, while Softball America ranks the class 49th.

"I am really happy with the 2026 class that we have assembled here and how things shook out," says Pinkerton. "With us set to lose eight players to graduation, we feel that this class will fill major needs to the pitching staff, infield, outfield, and offensively at the plate."

Sammi Boggs – 5'4 | RHP | Reno, Nev. | Bishop Manogue Catholic HS
A standout prep pitcher at Bishop Manogue Catholic, Boggs was named the Nevada Pitcher of the Year by Sports Illustrated and the Nevada 5A Pitcher of the Year for her 2025 season. She led the state in strikeouts (188), pitching in 109 innings of action. She held her opponents to a Nevada 5A-low .195 batting average, compiling a 2.1 ERA. Boggs is a member of the National Honor Society and a three-time Honor Roll honoree.

"Sammi is a highly regarded pitcher and will bring a very competitive background from the club ball ranks to our bullpen," says Pinkerton. "She has good control and will be a welcomed addition to our program."

Kandace Burnett – 5'11 | C/UTL | Moore, Okla. | Southmoore HS
A multi-time champion, Burnett helped lead her team to a Little League World Series title in 2021 (the first squad from Oklahoma to do so) and a state championship in high school in 2023-24. Burnett started all four years of her high school career and was twice voted a team captain. She batted .510 as a senior with five homers and 13 doubles and was an Oklahoma Softball Player of the Year nominee.

"Kandace is coming from the Epic program out of Oklahoma, which is nationally competitive," says Pinkerton. "She projects as a middle-of-the-lineup hitter and will be versatile enough to both catch and play first base at a high level. She has the potential to hit for average, power and be a run producer for us."

Lauren Hagedorn – 5'7 | RHP/INF | Adel, Iowa | ADM HS
A legacy recruit, Hagedorn will follow in father, Josh (ISU FB 1994), and mother, Kris' (ISU T&F 1995-98,) shoes next season. Coached by Lindsay Stanford at ADM, Hagedorn helped the Tigers qualify for the state tournament in each of the last three seasons. The team finished second in 2024 and third in 2025. Lauren earned First Team All-Conference honors, 4A All-District honors and First Team All-State honors in each of the last three seasons. Through three years of HS softball, she has 534 punchouts..

"Lauren's a decorated multi-sport athlete that we felt was a priority in this recruiting class," says Pinkerton. "She's a two-way player that will give us the flexibility in the lineup to play a corner when not pitching. She'll add power to the lineup and along with Mallie Stoner, we feel we have landed two of the best pitchers in the State of Iowa. She has been instrumental in leading ADM to the championship game the last two years."

Trinity Jensen – 5'9 | UTL | Lakeville, Minn. | Lakeville South HS
A five-time letterwinner, Jensen will bring immense versatility to the Cyclones next season. A four-time All-Conference recipient, Jensen was named the Offensive Player of the Year both in 2024 and 2025, while also earning the Most Outstanding Player of the Year this past campaign. Jensen also shined on the track, making up a leg of a 4x100 team that finished fourth in the state.

"Trinity is a five-tool player that can hit, hit for power, play multiple positions and has solid speed," says Pinkerton. "She'll be versatile enough to play catcher, at the corners and in the outfield. She comes out of a quality Midwest Speed in Minnesota."

Addison Ohda – 5'6 | OF | LeClaire, Iowa | Pleasant Valley HS, Kirkwood CC
The latest in a productive line of Pleasant Valley softball athletes, Ohda is set to rejoin high school teammates Jessie Clemons and Kasey Kane next season. Ohda helped PV to 130 wins during her tenure, earning First Team All-Conference in her senior season. Ohda also earned First Team All-Conference honors as a junior when the team earned a state title. A 2025 high school graduate, Ohda will join the Cyclones this coming summer after spending the upcoming spring season with Kirkwood.

"Addison is a very talented outfielder from Kirkwood that has sound defensive skills, speed and is a good contact gap-to-gap hitter," says Pinkerton. "She's part of a pipeline to our program that has given us many good players from Pleasant Valley. She has a championship pedigree and a drive to win."

Mallie Stoner – 5'9 | RHP | Carlisle, Iowa | Carlisle HS
A three-time high school letterwinner, Mallie won't have to go far to be a Cyclone as Carlisle is roughly 50 miles out of Ames. Stoner helped Carlisle claim a 4A state title in 2024 as a sophomore before earning First Team All-Conference and All-District as a junior. A 2025 4A Second Team All-State selection, Stoner also stood out on the track, qualifying for state in both her first two years of high school.

"Mallie's a talented pitcher that could possibly grow into being a productive two-way player," says Pinkerton. "She will be a great fit to our pitching staff and complements both Boggs and Hagedorn so that we can give teams a variety of different looks."