Deifel adds second Arkansas native to softball roster

FAYETTEVILLE — For the second time this summer, Courtney Deifel welcomes an Arkansas native back to the Natural State with the addition of rising junior Lauren Graves to the Razorbacks’ roster.

Graves comes to Fayetteville after spending the first two seasons of her collegiate career at Maryland.

Graves returns to the state where she was a standout prep performer for White Hall. In 2014, she helped lead the Bulldogs to the 5A state title. Along with the team successes, Graves was a three-time All-State selection.

She was also named to three All-State Tournament teams and earned four all-conference honors. Graves was a state all-star pick as a junior and senior and was named to the 2014 Southeast Arkansas All-First Team as a pitcher.

During her time at Maryland, Graves made 27 appearances in the circle including seven starts. She turned in a career-best outing with 3.1 innings and three strikeouts against Northwestern during her freshman season.

In addition to her efforts on the field, Graves was an Academic All-Big Ten performer in the classroom.

Graves joins Braxton Burnside, a Paragould native, as the latest members of the Arkansas softball team. Burnside joined the program in June after two years at Missouri where she totaled 15 home runs, 80 RBI and two NCAA Tournament appearances.

The Razorbacks are coming off a season in which they posted a 42-17 record and advanced the program’s first-ever NCAA Super Regional.

Individually, Arkansas had a program-high four NFCA All-Region selections with Hannah McEwen, Mary Haff, Autumn Buczek and Katie Warrick.

Haff was also a top-three finalist for National Freshman of the Year.