11/12/2026 9:22:00 AM | Softball
Youngstown, Ohio — Six high school standouts have signed to continue their softball and academic careers at Youngstown State University, Penguins first-year head coach Erin Pond announced on Thursday.
The group of six players includes Ohio natives Lila Bultrowicz (Aurora), Kaydence Chapman (Massillon), Ava Gilbert (West Chester), Makenna Hartley (Pickerington) and Caiya La (Brecksville) and Pennsylvania native Elena Ritchey (Berlin).
Lila Bultrowicz
Position: Infield
Hometown: Aurora, Ohio
High School: Aurora High School
Coach Pond on Lila: "We are thrilled that Lila chose to be a Penguin. Her work ethic speaks volumes and displays her desire to be the best. Lila is the true definition of a good teammate. We cannot wait to be by her side for everything she accomplishes in a YSU uniform."
Career Highlights: Bultrowicz was named First-Team All-Suburban League and honorable mention all-district as a junior when she batted .424 with eight home runs, 39 RBIs and 41 runs scored. She ranked among the area's leaders in home runs and doubles (13). Aurora has earned Suburban League championships in each of her first three seasons and two district titles. Academically, Bultrowicz is an academic letterwinner and an Associated Press merit scholar with distinction. She is a member of the National Honor Society and is a three-year scholar-athlete award winner. As a junior, she was named an Ohio Academic Scholar and a Suburban League Scholar.
Kaydence Chapman
Position: Outfield
Hometown: Massillon, Ohio
High School: Tuslaw High School
Coach Pond on Kaydence: "We are so delighted to have Kaydence become a part of our Youngstown State family. Not only does she fly around the bases, but also in the outfield on defense. Kaydence brings an elite level of athleticism to the table. We are looking forward to watching her win in all areas here at YSU."
Career Highlights: Chapman was named Second-Team All-Ohio, first-team all-district and first-team all-conference as a junior. Tuslaw's school record holder for stolen bases, she helped lead the Mustangs to district championships in 2024 and 2026 and a Principals Athletic Conference title in 2026. Chapman was named one of the top 15 high school softball players to watch in 2026 by The Canton Repository. As a member of Thunder Elite Premier Ferrari during summer ball, she has won multiple tournaments.
Ava Gilbert
Position: Pitcher
Hometown: West Chester, Ohio
High School: Lakota West High School
Coach Pond on Ava: "We are very excited to have Ava joining our program here at YSU. She is a competitor through and through. Ava will not only win on the field, but in the classroom as well. We cannot wait to see the positive impact Ava will have on our program."
Career Highlights: Gilbert is coming off a junior season in which she was named Second Team All-Greater Miami Conference and Honorable Mention All-Cincinnati. She has been on the GMC Top 5 Pitcher Leaderboard in each of her first three seasons. She earned the Firebird Leadership Rock for Lakota West as a junior, and she has been named to the High Honor Roll while earning All-GMC Academic accolades.
Makenna Hartley
Position: Infield
Hometown: Pickerington, Ohio
High School: Pickerington North High School
Coach Pond on Makenna: "We are elated to have Makenna joining our Penguin Family. She shares the same values as our program and leads by example. Makenna is so composed and consistently makes the hard plays look easy on defense. We are truly looking forward to that translating on the field at YSU."
Career Highlights: Hartley has been named All-Ohio Capital Conference in each of her first three seasons for the Panthers. She was named to the first team as a sophomore and a freshman, and she earned second-team accolades as a junior. Hartley has batted over .400 in each of her first three seasons, and she has eclipsed 100 career hits and 90 career RBIs. She will enter her senior year with 43 extra-base hits, including 16 career home runs, and is on pace to set Pickerington North's career hits record. Academically, she was a 2025-26 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, and she has been named to the Distinguished Honor Roll.
Caiya La
Position: Infield / Utility
Hometown: Brecksville, Ohio
High School: Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School
Career Highlights: La has earned All-Suburban League honors in each of her first three seasons, including a first-team nod last year as a junior. She was also named First-Team All-Cuyahoga County as an infielder in 2026 while earning a defensive player of the year award for the second straight year. La hit over .400 as both a sophomore and a junior, and she slugged five homers in 2026. La has helped the Bees to two conference championships and a runner-up finish at the district tournament. Also a basketball standout, La was a Third-Team All-Ohio selection in 2026. La has been an honor roll student throughout her career, and she has been named All-Academic Cuyahoga County.
Coach Pond on Caiya: "We are very happy to have Caiya joining our team. She makes a difference wherever she goes on the field, but, more importantly, with the person she is. Caiya is of strong character and dependability. We cannot wait to see the difference she makes here at YSU."
Elena Ritchey
Position: Pitcher / Utility
Hometown: Berlin, Pa.
High School: Berlin Brothersvalley High School
Coach Pond on Elena: "We are beyond proud that Elena is officially a part of our YSU family. She is so talented offensively and defensively. Elena will also shine in the weight room and continue to elevate our standards. We are truly looking forward to her many accomplishments to come during her career here at Youngstown State."
Career Highlights: Ritchey is a three-time Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association Class 1A all-state first-team selection, and she has been named the Somerset County Player of the Year in each of the last two seasons. She has been named to multiple all-star teams in her career, during which she has recorded 32 home runs and 132 RBIs at the plate and 317 strikeouts over 240.2 innings in the circle. In 2026, Ritchey batted .544 and slugged .967 with 10 home runs and 53 RBIs, while also going 15-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 143 strikeouts in the circle. She led the Mountaineers to the District 5 1A Championship in 2025, their first in school history. Ritchey was also an all-state selection as a volleyball player, and she helped Berlin Brothersvalley win the 2025 2A state title. Academically, she is a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, and she is on track to be class valedictorian.
