Owls Announce Signing Class

BOCA RATON, Fla – For National Signing Day, Florida Atlantic softball Head Coach Jordan Clark announced seven newcomers to join the Owls in the fall of 2025.

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Head Coach Jordan Clark
"We are excited to welcome the 2025 class to Paradise. This class consists of seven of the top recruits in the country who have played at the highest level. We focused a lot on pitching in this class and feel these three arms will continue taking the program to new heights. With the different recruiting connections across the country and state of Florida, this class will consist of four out of state and three in-state athletes. It is important to find balance of getting the best in-state talent to stay home but also building a national brand of getting girls to come play in South Florida. Not only do we feel like we have a strong base for talent in this class, we have higher character and family values to continue building on the culture that we have created the last two seasons."

MEET THE CLASS

Madilyn Byrd – Pitcher, Bay Minette, Ala. – Baldwin County High School/Birmingham Thunderbolts Rocky
Byrd has been MVP and all-county each year for Baldwin County and was named to the 2024 All-State team.

"Byrd is a bulldog in the circle and is no stranger to competition," said Coach Clark. "She stands all of 5'3 tall and most people overlook her because she doesn't pass the eye test. She has pitched in national championship games; she is our highest ranked recruit sitting at number 20 nationally. For what she lacks in size, she makes up for in competitiveness. We followed her a lot and watched nearly every travel ball game just waiting for her to pitch because we knew how important she would be to this program if we got her to say yes. I couldn't be more excited to bring this small-town southern belle to South Florida and watch her do amazing things."

Ashlynn Durkin – Pitcher – Downers Grove, Ill. – Downers Grove High School/Sparks IL
Durkin has received several accolades throughout her high school career, being named first team all-state in 2024, second team all-state in 2023, and all-conference in both 2023 and 2024.

"Ashlynn first came on the scene when we were recruiting in Colorado; I walked up to the field and she struck out 6 batters in a row. She immediately drew me in with her strong stature and commanding presence on the mound. She is extremely confident in the circle and continues to take her game to new heights. She has elite spin and has the ability to help out right away. We are excited to get her in the weight room and we believe the sky is the limit for Ashlynn.

Ava Difato – UTL, Pembroke Pines, Fla. – West Broward High School/Rock Gold
Difato was named to the Sun Sentinel first team as a junior and second team in her freshman and sophomore years.

"Ava is the definition of a true utility. She can play multiple positions equally as well, whether she is roaming the outfield or calling pitches behind the plate. She has speed and elite work ethic which are key factors into making her successful. She takes charge on her team and plays with passion every chance she gets. She is going to be dynamic and really fun to watch for Owl fans!"

Sara Harris – INF, Cumming, Ga. – Denmark High School/Tamborra
Harris owns Denmark High School's all-time career hits record and has been named All-Region and All-County three times each.

"Sara is one of the purest middle infielders that I have seen. Her glovework and game IQ is elite and can compete with just about anyone in the country. She leads the defense and makes sure everyone always knows what is going on. She is the captain of the field whenever she is out there. She has played on one of the top travel ball organizations in the country and competed at the highest level. Sara was our top target as a middle infielder in this class and we are so thankful she chose paradise to call home for the next four. I hope Owl fans are ready to see some pretty sweet plays on the infield."

Makenna Lee – Pitcher – Ellenton, Fla. – Palmetto High School/LLG Corn
Lee is a District Player of the Year and a member of the All-District team.

"Makenna burst onto the scene this summer when she took her team to the PGF national championship. She is going to be the sleeper in this class, but I truly believe she is going to take the college softball scene by storm once she gets here. She is competitive with long levers that helps her command the zone and change eye levels to batters. Her buy-in to the program and coaching staff is contagious and I cannot wait to welcome her and her family to Paradise! This home state girl is going to make a name for herself."

Lily Lowery – INF, Athens, Ala. – Athens High School/Sparks-Stewart
Lowery has received second-team All-State honors and was named All-County and All-Area in her freshman and sophomore years.

"Small but mighty is the best way to describe Lily. She is the ultimate teammate and player to coach. She loves the game and everyone around her. She is going to bring her southern charm to South Florida and demand excellence around her. Lily is a fierce competitor that gives everything she has to her team, she first caught my attention when she was the first one out of the dugout and first one off the field. She plays and gives everything in her to be the best. I am excited to see what position Lily settles into and how much the fans will fall in love with her personality."

Natalia Solorzano – 1B, Pembroke Pines, Fla. – West Broward High School/Rock Gold
Solorzano holds a career batting average of .324 in her high school career and plays at first base on the defensive side.

"Natalia brings the personality in the class with a smile that lights up a room. When you watch Natalia play, she has the ability to make everyone laugh and smile while competing at the highest level. She fills an immediate need as a corner position player. We have watched her for three years now and it has been pretty special watching her growth and love for the program. She is tall in stature but has the ability to hit for power from the right side which will add depth to our lineup. She is one of our in-state kids that we didn't want to slip away from us!"

FOLLOW THE OWLS

To follow the team on social media, visit @fausoftball, or for the most up-to-date information go to www.fausports.com.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Softball versus St. Johns River (10 Innings) on October 24, 2025 at 5 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball versus Lynn (10 Innings) on October 25, 2025 at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball versus Miami Dade (10 Innings) on October 29, 2025 at 5 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball at Eastern Florida State on November 1, 2025 at 12 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball versus Keiser on November 1, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball versus Nova Southeastern (10 Innings) on November 5, 2025 at 5 p.m.

Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Owls Announce Signing Class

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