When her senior season at Greeneville High ends in May Kaley Garland’s time on the softball diamond will not be over.
On Monday afternoon with friends and family watching she signed her letter of intent to join the softball program at Emory & Henry University.
“I’m so excited to further my athletic and academic career at Emory & Henry,” Garland said. “It means the world to be able to get the education that I’m going to get and to get to keep playing the game that I have loved since I was a little kid.”
Garland joined the Lady Greene Devils’ program as a sophomore after moving from Texas and immediately became a difference maker. On defense she has held down spots in both the infield and outfield and on offense she has given Greeneville a preponderance of power at the top of the lineup.
As a junior Garland led Greene County with 11 home runs, and added five triples and 11 doubles. She scored 51 runs and drove in 40 runs from her leadoff spot. Garland turned in a .460 batting average and .530 on-base percentage. She struck out just nine times in 133 plate appearances.
Garland is focused on doing even more in her senior campaign and is hopeful she can take the Lady Devils to new heights.
“I just want to have the most fun I can with my teammates. Hopefully I can beat some of my records from last year,” Garland said. “I just want to have the best season with my girls that I can. I want to be there for my teammates, and be a leader, and hopefully help us get to state.”
Emory & Henry is a Division II school located in Emory, Virginia. The Wasps play in the South Atlantic Conference. They are coming off of a 31-21 campaign in 2025, their best record since moving up from Division III in 2022.
“Last year Emory & Henry was one team away from making the national tournament, and they have a great, growing program,” Garland said. “I’m really excited to be a part of that. I know I have a chance to have success there. I just have to go in ready to work.”
Garland will be joining the Wasps as a middle infielder. Her focus between now and then will be on strength training as she prepares for the higher level of competition.
She plans to major in exercise science at Emory & Henry and then wants to go graduate school to get a degree in physical therapy.
