Here are 15 Iowa City-area high school softball players to watch during the 2024 season

The 2024 high school softball season is underway in the Iowa City area, with great talent ready to step up for their respective teams this summer.

The Regina Catholic softball team is the returning Class 2A state champions. Clear Creek Amana, Iowa City High, Iowa City West, Liberty and Solon are coming off appearances in regional competition.

Here are 15 softball players from the Iowa City area who are expected to make a big impact this season.

Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name:

Molly Carlson, Soph., Iowa City High

As a freshman, Carlson started in all 35 games for the Little Hawks. Her 27 RBIs were tied for first on the team. She also tallied 35 hits and four home runs— the second most on the team.

Mackenzie Dvorsky, Sr., Iowa City High

Dvorsky had a productive junior season at Iowa City High. In 35 starts, she earned a team-high five home runs and tied for first on the team in RBIs (27). Her 27 hits were ranked third on the team.

Izzy Frees, Jr., Solon

Frees was a strong two-way player for Solon last season. Her 42 hits and 28 runs rank second among all returnees for the team. In 38 games, she notched 26 RBIs and four homers while earning a 7-3 record as a pitcher. She also had eight stolen bases.

Morgan Gahan, Sr., Regina Catholic

Gahan, who started all 38 games a season ago, was a key contributor for the Regals. As a junior, she racked up 38 hits and 22 RBIs. With the departure of some big players from last year’s championship team, look for Gahan to play a larger role.

Lianna Hull, Jr., Iowa City High

Hull was an offensive force for the Little Hawks as a sophomore. With the most at-bats (104), Hull earned a team-high 47 hits in 32 games. Her batting average (.452) and on-base percentage (.517) were the best on the team. Hull also earned 17 stolen bases.

Kelsey Kaut, Soph., Liberty

It doesn’t get much more impressive than what Kaut achieved as a freshman. Her 51 hits were tied for first on the team. In 37 starts, Kaut notched 25 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.

Avery Kies, Sr., Regina Catholic

In 37 starts, Kies was a spark for the Regals a season ago. She earned 48 hits— the most among all returnees this season. Her 28 stolen bases were the second most on a Regina team that won the Class 2A state title.

Aeslyn Massey, Sr., Clear Creek Amana

Massey played a big role in CCA’s 2023 season. She earned 40 hits, the second most among returnees for the team. She also tallied 31 RBIs and three home runs.

Addie Miller, Jr., Solon

Miller was strong at the plate for the Spartans last season. She’s the team's top returnee for hits (49), RBIs (33) and home runs (eight). Her batting average (.412) was the second-best on the team.

Anneke Nielsen, Sr., Iowa City West

Nielsen started all 36 games as a junior for Iowa City West. She earned 18 hits and one home run— the second most on the team. She also posted five RBIs.

Haley Schroeder, Sr., Liberty

Schroeder was a playmaker for the Lightning last season. She scored a team-high 55 runs. Her 48 hits were ranked second on the team. She was Liberty’s top base runner with 26 stolen bases.

Kyla Schulte, Soph., Clear Creek Amana

Schulte was just a freshman, but that didn’t stop her from helping lead the charge for CCA last season. She led the team in hits (41), runs (26) and home runs (eight). She also notched 24 RBIs in 35 starts. Schulte was also one of CCA’s top pitchers, posting a 9-8 record in the circle on the season.

Mia Stahle, Sr., Solon

With 17 stolen bases, Stahle was the most aggressive base runner for the Spartans last season. In 37 starts, she scored 31 runs, which was tied for first on the team. Her 38 hits rank third among the team's returning players.

Gabby Sueppel, Sr., Regina Catholic

Sueppel was a productive player for Regina softball last season. She started in all 38 games for the Regals, posting 37 hits and 21 RBIs.

Elizabeth Timmerman, Soph., Clear Creek Amana

Whether it was pitching or hitting, Timmerman did it all for the Clippers last season. She played in 30 games and notched 34 hits while scoring 23 runs. She led the team in stolen bases (11), too. Timmerman earned an 8-4 record in the circle as a pitcher.

Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached atMARay@gannett.com, and on X, formerly Twitter, at@themarcszn.