Skylar Wallace

Skylar Wallace
Infielder
Born: (2000-01-04) January 4, 2000 (age 24)
Woodstock, Georgia, U.S.
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Maelynn Skylar Wallace (born January 4, 2000) is an American professional softball player for the Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball. She played college softball at Alabama and Florida. She was named the NFCA National Player of the Year in 2023.

High school career

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Wallace attended Etowah High School in Woodstock, Georgia. During her high school career she was a four-time Etowah High School MVP, three-time all-state honoree, the 2015 5A Region Player of the Year and 2017 7A Region Player of the Year. She led Etowah High School to a second-place finish at the GHSA State Championship as a senior in 2018.[1] She was ranked No. 3 in FloSoftball Hot 100 ranking for the class of 2018. On November 8, 2017, she signed her national letter of intent with Alabama.[2]

College career

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Wallace began her collegiate career for Alabama in 2019. During her freshman year she started 68 games at second base, and recorded 49 hits, six doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 32 run batted in (RBI), with a .295 batting average. Following the season she was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.[3] During her sophomore year in 2020, she started all 22 games at shortstop, and recorded 24 hits, five doubles, two triples, one home run and 18 RBI, with a .387 batting average, in a season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

On November 18, 2020, it was announced Wallace would transfer to Florida.[4] She had to sit out the 2021 season due to SEC inner-conference transfer rules.[5]

During her junior year in 2023, she led the SEC in batting average (.447), slugging percentage (.980), and triples (8), ranked second in on-base-percentage (.595), runs (72), total bases (147), walks (51) and stolen bases (30), and ranked third in home runs (19). She led NCAA Division I in slugging percentage and ranked second in on-base percentage.[6] She was the only player in the nation with 65 or more hits, 70 or more runs, 55 or more RBI, 50 or more walks and 30 or more stolen bases. She set the Florida single-season record in batting average, slugging percentage and on base percentage.[7] On April 14, 2023, she recorded a career-high four hits, three home runs and seven RBI in a game against Georgia. She set the Florida single-game record with three home runs and 13 total bases, while her seven RBI were tied for third most by a Florida player in a single game.[8][9] Following the season she was named SEC Player of the Year and NFCA National Player of the Year.[10][11] She was also named a unanimous first team NFCA all-American selection.[12]

During the 2024 SEC tournament, she hit .778 (7-for-9) with five runs scored, three home runs and nine RBI. She hit in three runs during the championship game and was named tournament MVP. Her nine RBI and three home runs were the most by any player in a single SEC tournament.[13]

Professional career

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Wallace was drafted sixth overall in the 2024 AU Pro Softball College Draft.[14] On July 9, 2024, she signed with Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball for the 2024 season.[15]

Personal life

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Wallace was born to Lynn and Kim Wallace, and has one sibling, a brother Cullen.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Skylar Wallace". rolltide.com. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  2. ^ "Skylar Wallace Signs NLI With Alabama Softball". rolltide.com. November 8, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  3. ^ "2019 SEC Softball Awards announced". secsports.com. May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  4. ^ "Skylar Wallace Transfers To The University Of Florida". flosoftball.com. November 18, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  5. ^ Harry, Chris (February 10, 2022). "Loaded With Motivation, Reloaded On Offense". floridagators.com. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  6. ^ Lee, Ainslie (May 12, 2023). "Best in the league: Florida softball's Skylar Wallace named SEC Player of the Year". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  7. ^ "Wallace Tabbed 2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division I Player of the Year". floridagators.com. June 9, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  8. ^ "Wallace has Career Day; No. 15 Gators Run-Rule No. 12 Bulldogs". floridagators.com. April 14, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  9. ^ Lee, Ainslie (April 14, 2023). "'That was legit': Skylar Wallace hits video game-like 3 home runs to lift UF softball over Georgia". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  10. ^ "SEC announces 2023 SEC softball awards". secsports.com. May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  11. ^ "Florida's Wallace, Tennessee's Rogers capture major DI end-of-year awards". NFCA.org. June 9, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  12. ^ "Wallace Secures Unanimous NFCA All-American Honors". floridagators.com. May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  13. ^ Wesoly, Grace (May 11, 2024). "Florida wins sixth SEC title, Wallace makes tourney history". secsports.com. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  14. ^ Collins, Savanna (May 14, 2024). "Meet the 2024 AU Pro Softball College Draft Class". auprosports.com. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Collins, Savanna (July 9, 2024). "Florida's Skylar Wallace signs for 2024 AU Pro Softball Season". auprosports.com. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
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