The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Add California Outfielder Sydney McKeown
11/22/2014 | Softball
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss continued to build a solid first-year recruiting class under head coach Mike Smith with the addition of California outfielder Sydney McKeown, Smith announced on Saturday.
McKeown is the sixth announced member of the recruiting class for the 2015-16 academic year, joining Kylan Becker (Miami, Florida), Megan Harris (Whitehouse, Texas), Ashton Lampton (Decatur, Mississippi), Kennedy Cline (Lumberton, Texas) and Sarah Van Schaik (Petal, Mississippi) in coming to Ole Miss.
"Sydney is an outfielder that really brings speed and versatility to our squad," Smith said. "She's a sparkplug that always has a smile on her face. She has a good work ethic, which is something we've seen every time we've been around her. She plays with a great organization in the Firecrackers. She's a gamer and a fighter and wants to win. She has a strong desire to start and wants to do whatever she can to fight for a spot in the starting lineup and make us better."
A four-year letter winner at Corona del Mar High School under head coach Carly Smith, McKeown has pulled in the accolades during her career on the west coast. She has twice been named the Offensive Player of the Year (2013, 2014) and was also named the Defensive Player of the Year (2012).
McKeown was tabbed as the 2014 Newport-Mesa Softball Player of the Year (2014) and was a national top-36 batting average player in the MaxPreps.com rankings. She was also twice named a Pacific Coast League first team All-Conference selection (2013, 2014).
With her travel team, the Firecrackers, McKeown was a top offensive producer and helped her squad to a third-place finish in the 2014 Colorado Sparkler 18U and a 33rd-place finish at the PGF Nationals 18U. In the 2013 season, she helped her squad to a 13th-place finish at the Firecrackers 16U and 25th at PGF Nationals that same year. In 2012, she helped the team to a third-place finish at the Firecracker 14U and a 25th-place finish at the PGF Nationals.
McKeown is also active in her community, working to provide help for the needy through volunteer efforts with the Discovery Shop and Backpacks at Gulliver's. She also has volunteered with a local event called "Give Blood, Play Hockey" to help raise blood supplies and through Locks of Love and fundraisers for her local children's hospitals.
