Tennessee softball added a sixth player, and a second pitcher, to its 2028 recruiting class with the commitment of Megan Kuiper.
The four-star pitcher out of Woodstock, Illinois, is ranked No. 40 overall and No. 13 among pitchers in the class by Softball America. The 5-foot-11 right-hander has a strong riseball and the ability to work up and down in the zone with "significant vertical break," according to Softball America.
"I am so incredibly excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Tennessee," Kuiper wrote Oct. 18 on X. "I want to thank the coaches at the University of Tennessee for believing in my and giving me this incredible opportunity. I am beyond grateful for the chance to be part
of such a special program, and I cannot wait!"
Go Lady Vols!! 🩵🧡 @Vol_Softball @KarenWeekly @MRhodesSmith @aubrey_lynne10 @EhrenEarleywine @IowaPremierFP #Committed #ipfbethebest #compete pic.twitter.com/0XReCmvGsE
— Megan Kuiper (@megankuiper2028) October 19, 2026
Kuiper joins five-star pitcher Reagan Eldred, five-star outfielder Caelyn Campos, four-star shortstop Nevaeh Wilson, four-star infielder Kenzie White and infielder Sophia Galindo in Tennessee's 2028 class.
Kuiper's season stats weren't available online, but she was selected as the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week after a 20-strikeout performance to lead Woodstock to a 6-0 win to open the season. She racked up 38 strikeouts in her first 14⅓ innings of the season this spring.
Kuiper's commitment is another addition to the strong pitching staff Tennessee has built under coach Karen Weekly and pitching coach Megan Rhodes Smith. UT has brought in two strong pitchers in each of the last three freshman classes to build out a staff with significant depth. The two latest incoming freshmen are Maggie Krause and Bailee Shelton.
The Lady Vols have had one pitcher in the last two freshman classes transfer for more opportunity to play, but they've created a steady pipeline of high school talent. Five-star pitcher Kaylee Hodges, who's ranked No. 2 in the 2027 class, is set to sign with Tennessee in November.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee softball adds sixth player to 2028 class with 4-star pitcher Megan Kuiper
