SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Drury head softball coach Brooke Gajewski announced the team's 2026 signing class on December 8. The class features seven incoming freshmen from four different states across the country.
 
The Panthers welcome Julia Sherman from Gilbert, Arizona. The catcher from Arizona College Preparatory has been a three-time all-region honoree entering her senior season. In her first three high school seasons, she has posted a .406 batting average, 10 home runs, 72 runs scored, and 78 runs batted in. Sherman is also a member of the Israeli National Softball Team.
 
Sam Sherman also joins Drury from Arizona. The twin sister of Julia is a middle infielder who recorded a 1.096 OPS, .358 batting average, and .660 slugging percentage this past summer with the Arizona Rising Vela club team. In her junior season at Arizona College Preparatory, she was a second-team all-region honoree. Like her sister, Sam is also a member of the Israeli National Softball Team.
 
Reece Barnett, a Macon High School product, joins Drury as a utility player. Barnett has been an all-state selection in each of her last two high school seasons. As a senior, she hit .505 with 44 RBIs and helped lead Macon to a Class 3 third-place finish in the 2025 fall season. Playing club softball for the Mid-Mo Aces, she hit .443 during the summer of 2025.
 
A corner infielder from Allen, Texas, Adyson Fincanon arrives from Allen High School. In her junior season, Fincanon hit .551 with a 1.265 slugging percentage and earned Texas 6A District 6 First Team honors. While playing club for Epic National, she hit .432 with a .617 slugging percentage during the summer of 2025.
 
Bella Persinger, a right-handed pitcher from Cynthiana, Kentucky, joins the Panthers after a dominant junior season at Harrison County High School. Persinger struck out 149 batters in 123.1 innings and posted a 19-4 record with a 1.31 ERA. She was named the 2025 2A Player of the Year in Kentucky. Harrison County won the 2A 10th Region during the 2025 spring season before advancing to the state quarterfinals.
 
From Stoutland High School, Lily Shearer comes to Drury as a middle infielder. Shearer was a First Team All-District selection in 2025 and earned all-district honors in 2024 as well. Over her last two high school seasons, Stoutland went a combined 27-20 and finished as the Class 1 District 1 runner-up during her junior year. Shearer hit .554 in her senior season with a 1.437 OPS.
 
Charlize Duemmel, a catcher from St. Elizabeth High School, will join Drury after winning Class 1 state titles in both her junior and senior seasons. In each of those years, she was a first-team all-district, all-region, and all-state honoree. As a senior, she hit .423 with a 1.169 OPS and 40 RBIs. Duemmel also plays club softball for the Mid-Mo Aces.
 
The seven newcomers will join a Drury team that won the 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Regular Season title and will kick off their 2025 season on January 30 against Northwest Missouri.
 
FOLLOW THE PANTHERS
For all the latest information on Drury athletics, please visit drurypanthers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Panthers on X and Instagram.