Pictured top row left to right: Layla Burgess, Kaiya Peterson, Bethany Ferris, and Paige Scoggin. Pictured bottom left to right: Shelby Hillyer, Irene VanDyke, and Brookelynne Morley

Softball 2/17/2026 7:00:00 PM Clayton Messerle, Assistant Athletic Director

Covalt Pens Seven New Warriors to 2026 Corban Softball Roster

SALEM, Ore. – The first complete recruiting class under second-year head coach Jeff Covalt features a mix of six true freshman and a transfer redshirt sophomore for seven total recruits that are joining his 23-woman roster for the upcoming spring 2026 season. Five of the seven newly signed Corban softball student-athletes hail from the state of Oregon, while the other two represent the states of Washington and Utah.

"I'm very excited to see this class grow as a group as they enter their first season with our program," explained Covalt. "It's a mix of skill sets we are excited to have on our team. All of whom come from strong club backgrounds with lots of experience against top level competition. The biggest thing we love is that they all bring is a desire to glorify God and a willingness to do any job to be part of a complete team. We couldn't be more excited to get this season started with these newcomers, who will be a big part of our team success this week and in the weeks to come."

To read up more on the seven Warriors joining the Corban softball program, see below for a brief biography introducing the 2026 recruits.

An extremely decorated alumni for Elmira High School, Burgess touts four-straight All-League honors (1x Honorable Mention, 3x First Team), two All-State selections (Honorable Mention & Second Team), and a Defensive Player of the Year accolade as both a shortstop and catcher for the Falcons. Her senior season, Burgess smashed a .511 batting average with 27 RBI and a .960 fielding percentage at shortstop.

Split between careers as a crime scene investigator or working in children's advocacy, Burgess will be pursuing a degree in forensic psychology during her time at Corban.

A Southridge High School grad, Ferris joins the ranks of the NAIA and CCC aboard the Corban Softball program following a four-year softball career with the Skyhawks. Additionally, Ferris was a multi-sport athlete in addition to softball, as she was both a swimmer and water polo student-athlete for Southridge, earning Second Team All-League and Team Captain merits within the water polo program.

Ferris will be joining Corban's newly established nursing program as she competes for the Warriors as a true freshman.

A four-time Second Team All-League recipient for South Medford High School, Hillyer led the Panthers behind the plate to four-straight OSAA 6A State Championship tournaments, finishing as high as a state semifinalist as the No. 3-overall seed in her sophomore season. Academically, Hillyer was named an Honor Athlete all four years at South Medford.

Another addition for the newly established nursing program at Corban, Hillyer looks to serve the Warrior community both as a student-athlete and aspiring nurse.

Yet another four-year All-League recruit joining the Corban softball program, Morley earned Honorable Mention accolades a single season before earning three First Team selections, eventually clinching a pair of Honorable Mention All-State honors alongside an Oregon West Conference regular season championship and third place state tournament finish. As a multi-sport athlete, Morley was a state champion in girls' basketball for Stayton High School after completing a 27-1 overall record where she also earned Second Team All-League honors for the Eagles.

Morley will be pursuing a degree in education with concentration on elementary education as she competes in the navy and gold threads.

Peterson joins the Warrior softball program fresh off a top three finish in the 3A UHSAA State Championship tournament, where she was named a Second Team All-State selection following her senior season. She was also named a Second Team All-State honoree in her freshman year, along with First Team All-Area and Honorable Mention awards in her freshman and junior seasons, respectively.

A degree in business administration awaits Peterson as she competes in her true freshman season of eligibility for the Navy and Gold.

Scoggin adds more upperclassmen depth to the Corban softball program with plenty of collegiate experience, as she kicked off her collegiate career at NWAC member Clark College and appeared in 54 contests for the Penguins, recording 45 hits, 34 RBI, and 20 runs scored with a .326 batting average. Academically, Scoggin was named an Easton/NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete at Clark as well.

Expecting to one day become a teacher, Scoggin will work towards completing a degree in education with an emphasis in elementary education.

Another incredibly successful high school student-athlete joining the Corban softball program, VanDyke was an All-League recipient in all four years for the Crimson Tide, improving from Honorable Mention and Rookie of the Year honors her freshman season to First Team All-League and Honorable Mention All-State accolades in 2025 when she hit a .427 batting average with a .522 OBP and a .840 slugging percentage. In summer club ball for the Northwest Vandals, she improved upon her numbers at the plate in both batting average (.500) and slugging percentage (.875) as an everyday third baseman.

VanDyke joins one of Corban's most prestigious schools as an accounting major in the Hoff School of Business.

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