ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Griffon Softball head coach Bianca Duran has announced her 2026-27 signing class as she heads into her first season in St. Joseph.

Duran signed 13 players in all - six freshmen and seven transfers. The Griffons signed four pitchers and nine position players, with talent heralding from eight different states.

"For everyone, it's a new dynamic and team, but to have newcomers who are already locked in as them is exciting," Duran said of her signees. "Each of them brings something different to the team and has proven they're going to work hard for the people around them."

"There's a good balance of freshmen to seniors in the newcomers, which I'm excited about. No matter what year they are, they're competing and that's what it's about. I've already seen a glimpse of greatness from each of them and I'm excited to get after it this fall to be ready in the spring!"

These 13 newcomers join seven Griffon Softball players from the 2026 team who are back for 2027. MoWest is coming off of a 32-18 record in 2026 with an 11-13 mark in the MIAA. Duran was introduced as the eighth head softball coach in program history this past June after spending the previous five seasons as the head coach of NCAA Division II Colorado State-Pueblo.
 

Freshmen
 

Brooklyn Barnett (5-5 Fr. INF - Argyle, TX - Argyle HS)
Argyle HS: Academic all state, District Defensive Player of the Year and Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Second team all-district both sophomore and junior year. Batting average of .250.

Personal: Daughter of Mandi and Blaine Barnett. Has a brother named Boston. Her mother, Mandi, was her high school head coach. Father Blaine played football at Midwestern State.

Andrea Garcia (5-7 Fr. INF - Goodyear, AZ - Canyon View HS)
Canyon View HS: 4x Honor Roll, 4x All-Academic Region Team, 2x First Team All-Region, Second team all-conference as a senior. Carried a 4.5 GPA. Batted .554 as a senior with a .667 OBP. Hit eight home runs. State runner-up in both 2023 and 2024.

Personal: Plans to major in criminal justice. Daughter of Maribel and J.P. Garcia. Has an older sister Mariana and younger sister Yesenia. Mariana plays softball at NCAA Division III Trinity University. Has lived in six different states and loves to build Legos.

Addyson Armstrong (5-8 Fr. RHP - Gilbert, AZ - Campo Verde HS)
Campo Verde HS: Four-year varsity letter, two regional championships, All-Arizona Academic all four years and 5A Conference recognition for three years. Team captain as a senior and Defense Player of the Year winner as a senior. MVP Team Award as a freshman. Career 305 IP and 201 K. Led her team to the quarterfinals of the state championship as a senior with three games and a 0.00 ERA. Also in her senior year, she had an immaculate inning and a no-hitter.

Personal: Business management major. Daughter of Bret and Heather Armstrong. Has a brother Cole.

Kyndal Armstrong (5-3 Fr. RHP - Blue Springs, MO - Blue Springs South HS)
Blue Springs South HS: Accent on Academics (3.5 or higher GPA), 2nd Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-District and 2nd Team All-Region. Batted .349 with a 1.005 OPS. 4 career HR. Seven saves in the circle with a 2.81 ERA.

Personal: Exercise science major. Daughter of Naomi and Reginald Armstrong. Has a sister Knailah. Has two dogs names Naijah and Mocha.

Ashley Anderson (5-9 Fr. OF - Liberty, MO - Liberty HS)
Liberty HS: 3x first team all-conference, 3x all-district including twice as a first team selection. 2x all-region including first team honors in 2024. 2x team captain, 2x gold glove winner and 2x silver slugger winner. Althe of the Month winner. 4x academic all-state.

Personal: 4.32 GPA. Seal of biliteracy recipient (French). Was class valedictorian and member of National Honors Society. Nursing major. Daughter of Carrie and Mark Anderson. Has a younger sister Kate and a brother Jacob.

Ava Rosner (5-4 Fr. C/OF - Olathe, KS - Olathe North HS)
Olathe North HS: First Team & Honorable Mention Sunflower League - Outfield, 6A Kansas 2nd Team All-State - Outfield. Academic Excellence Award, Seal of Biliteracy. Batted .447, .567 OBP, 26 RBI.

Personal: Plans to major in business and marketing. Daughter of Jeremiah and Vanetta. Siblings Elijah and Cierra.
 

Transfers
 

Mariah Belzer (5-4 Sr. INF - Ankeny, IA - Ankeny Centennial - Rogers State)
Rogers State: Played in 148 games, making 110 starts over three seasons at MIAA rival Rogers State. Career batting average of .246. Nine career home runs, 43 RBI, 16 doubles, career .313 OBP. Helped the Hillcats to an MIAA regular season, MIAA tournament and Central Region tournament championship in 2024.

Personal: Plans to major in sports management. Daughter of Liza Belzer and Shawn Kelly. Has a sister Julia.

Payton Bragg (5-10 Jr. INF/OF - Hickory Creek, TX - Lake Dallas HS - Oklahoma Baptist)
Oklahoma Baptist (2025-26): played in 67 games and made 10 starts over two seasons with the Oklahoma Baptist Bison in Shawnee. Career average of .207 with a career 12 hits, 2 doubles, 5 RBI. Career OBP of .324. 2025-26 Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete. Made Presidents' Honor Roll both seasons.

Personal: Daughter of Christy and Richard Bragg. Has a twin sister Taylor and brothers Adrian and Brayden. Plans to major in graphic design.

Reese Reimler (5-8 So. INF - Champlin, MN - Champlin Park HS - CSU-Pueblo)
CSU-Pueblo (2026): played and started in all 58 games as a freshman at CSU-Pubelo under Coach Duran, earning honorable mention all-RMAC honors. 38 runs on 62 hits, 13 doubles, 5 home runs, 34 RBI, .536 SLG, .446 OBP.

Champlin Park HS: 2025 All-State pick, 2025 Max Preps MN Player of the Year, 2025 MN All-Star Coaches' Team, 2025 All-Star Tribune team. 4x All-Conference and 2x All-Section honoree.

Personal: Plans to major in secondary education and physical education. Daughter of Jill and Nick Reimler. Has a sister Olivia. Her father, Nick, played baseball at Wisconsin-River Falls.

Elsa Carrillo (5-9 Jr. RHP - Lawrence, KS - Lawrence Free State - Johnson County CC)
Johnson County CC (2025-26): Cavalier Award (2025), All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, Region VI Division II 2nd team (2025), KJCCC 2nd Team, All Region VI second team (2026), CSC academic all-women's team (2026) and Region VI All-Tournament Team (2026). Freshman season: 9-7, 77 Ks,  85.5IP, 4 Shutouts, BAA .273. Sophomore season: 13-4, 74 Ks, 112 IP.

Lawrence Free State: 17-4, 173 K, 126.2 IP, 1.99 ERA (2024). 10-7, 136 K, 1.00 ERA (2023).

Personal: Majoring in wildlife and conservation. Daughter of Amy and Jason Carrillo. Brothers Alex and Isaac. Sister Stella. Does a "really good" Jennifer Coolidge impression.

Ava Jeretzky (5-8 Jr. RHP/INF - Bellingham, WA - Mount Baker - George Fox University)
Bellevue College (2026): Northwest Athletic Conference North Region Pitcher of the Year at Bellevue College (WA). 27 starts,  20-9, 6 saves, 177.1 IP, 4.18 ERA, 149 K. 132 AB, 43 R, 56 H, 13 doubles, 1 triple, 5 HR, 48 RBI.

George Fox Univeristy (2025): 4.1 IP in five appearances at NCAA Division III George Fox (OR).

Mount Baker HS: Broke school records in career batting average, RBI, doubles, home runs and total bases. Batted .544 a senior while also going 17-6 in the circle with 125 K in 125 IP.

Personal: Health management major. Daughter of Seth and Stormy Jeretzky. Has a brother Nolan.

Brooke Gerling (5-7 Jr. C/INF - St. Joseph, MO - Central HS - University of Saint Mary)
University of Saint Mary (2026): Played in 38 games and made 31 starts in 2026. 12 runs on 25 hits, 5 doubles, 2 HR, 17 RBI. Member of the Dean's List in 2024-25.

Personal: All-district, all-region and all-state honors at Central HS. Exercise science major. Daughrt of Leticia and Kieth Gerling. Brother Nathan. Played in a symphonic orchestra for more than six years.

Lydia Tibbals (5-5 Jr. UTL - Springville, UT - Maple Mountain HS - CSU-Pueblo)
CSU-Pueblo (2026): Played 23 games, making 10 starts. Batted .273. .333 OBP.

Western Nebraska CC (2024-25): Earned Region IX Player of the Week and all-tournament team honors, batting .398.

Maple Mountain HS: Defensive Player of the Year. 2x all-state selection and Deseret News Second Team honoree.\

Personal: Nursing major. Daughter of Steve and Melinda Tibbals. Brother Korbon and sisters Mikaylah, Hannah, Izzy and Charlotte. Grew up on a farm and showed animals in 4-H.