Completed Event: Softball at Colorado State on May 2, 2026 , Win , 11, to, 2 , (5 inn.)
Softball
at Colorado State
W 11-2
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Kinley Pappas, Madison Evans and Cameron Ponich
Photo by: Jayden Todd
GCU transfer class ranks 22nd nationally
8/18/2026 10:48:00 AM | Softball, Paul Coro
Lopes reload roster after NCAA regional final appearance
Grand Canyon keeps getting wins in the offseason with a nationally ranked transfer portal class that will help maintain the surging program's elite status for next season.
GCU followed up last season's 54-10 record, Mountain West championship and NCAA regional final appearance by adding WAC Player of the Year Kinley Pappas from Utah Tech and ace pitchers Madison Evans from South Dakota and Cameron Ponich from North Florida. The incoming trio earned the Lopes a No. 22 transfer class ranking from D1Softball.
"We're really pleased to add the three players we signed," said GCU sixth-year head coach Shanon Hays, whose program has the nation's fourth-best winning percentage since 2022 (.798, 237-60).
Pappas, a 5-foot-7 junior from Eugene, Oregon, ranked 23rd nationally with a .450 batting average last season for Utah Tech. The first baseman and catcher posted a whopping .787 slugging percentage because she also ranked sixth in the nation for doubles (21) and 19th for triples (six). She also hit .345 as a freshman, when she had a 5-for-8 series at GCU. Her father, Tom, was an Olympic decathlete who placed fifth at the 2000 Sydney Games.
"Kinley was obviously a big addition to our team," Hays said. "We faced her two years ago in the WAC and found out how good she was while trying to get her out. Getting (2025 WAC Player of the Year) Savannah Kirk back healthy to go along with Kinley is exciting."
Evans, a 5-5 right-handed pitcher from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, became familiar with the Lopes last season by taking a loss despite tossing a 1-hit complete game at GCU in February and being in the same NCAA Lincoln Regional as GCU in May.
Evans eliminated No. 25 Louisville by allowing one earned run in a complete-game, 125-pitch regional win. That performance came on the heels of earning Summit Tournament Most Valuable Player for a 1.69 ERA over 29 innings, including 1-hit, 2-hit and 3-hit complete games. With the eighth-most complete games in the nation (21), Evans went 16-15 with a 3.84 ERA by holding opponents to .248 hitting and ranking 22nd nationally with 194 strikeouts.
Ponich, a 5-7 right-handed pitcher from Parker, Colorado, led the Atlantic Sun and ranked 12th nationally with a 1.73 ERA last season. With seven shutouts in 16 starts, she posted a 16-4 record with three saves as she held opponents to .200 hitting. She ranked ninth nationally for hits allowed per seven innings at 5.0 and 20th for WHIP at 1.03.
"We faced Madison early last season and watcher her throw in regionals," Hays said. "Her stuff was really good, and she really threw well against Nebraska and Louisvile," Hays said. "We expect her and Cam to come in and be big pieces of our staff immediately. Cam had a super year last year as well. Any time you can go 16-4 and have an under-2 ERA in Division I softball, you're doing something really well. Adding her experience and competitiveness to our staff is awesome."
GCU followed up last season's 54-10 record, Mountain West championship and NCAA regional final appearance by adding WAC Player of the Year Kinley Pappas from Utah Tech and ace pitchers Madison Evans from South Dakota and Cameron Ponich from North Florida. The incoming trio earned the Lopes a No. 22 transfer class ranking from D1Softball.
"We're really pleased to add the three players we signed," said GCU sixth-year head coach Shanon Hays, whose program has the nation's fourth-best winning percentage since 2022 (.798, 237-60).
Pappas, a 5-foot-7 junior from Eugene, Oregon, ranked 23rd nationally with a .450 batting average last season for Utah Tech. The first baseman and catcher posted a whopping .787 slugging percentage because she also ranked sixth in the nation for doubles (21) and 19th for triples (six). She also hit .345 as a freshman, when she had a 5-for-8 series at GCU. Her father, Tom, was an Olympic decathlete who placed fifth at the 2000 Sydney Games.
"Kinley was obviously a big addition to our team," Hays said. "We faced her two years ago in the WAC and found out how good she was while trying to get her out. Getting (2025 WAC Player of the Year) Savannah Kirk back healthy to go along with Kinley is exciting."
Evans, a 5-5 right-handed pitcher from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, became familiar with the Lopes last season by taking a loss despite tossing a 1-hit complete game at GCU in February and being in the same NCAA Lincoln Regional as GCU in May.
Evans eliminated No. 25 Louisville by allowing one earned run in a complete-game, 125-pitch regional win. That performance came on the heels of earning Summit Tournament Most Valuable Player for a 1.69 ERA over 29 innings, including 1-hit, 2-hit and 3-hit complete games. With the eighth-most complete games in the nation (21), Evans went 16-15 with a 3.84 ERA by holding opponents to .248 hitting and ranking 22nd nationally with 194 strikeouts.
Ponich, a 5-7 right-handed pitcher from Parker, Colorado, led the Atlantic Sun and ranked 12th nationally with a 1.73 ERA last season. With seven shutouts in 16 starts, she posted a 16-4 record with three saves as she held opponents to .200 hitting. She ranked ninth nationally for hits allowed per seven innings at 5.0 and 20th for WHIP at 1.03.
"We faced Madison early last season and watcher her throw in regionals," Hays said. "Her stuff was really good, and she really threw well against Nebraska and Louisvile," Hays said. "We expect her and Cam to come in and be big pieces of our staff immediately. Cam had a super year last year as well. Any time you can go 16-4 and have an under-2 ERA in Division I softball, you're doing something really well. Adding her experience and competitiveness to our staff is awesome."
Players Mentioned
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