Former South Carolina softball starter to represent national team

A former South Carolina softball starter will have the chance to represent her country. Former Gamecock outfielder Kianna Jones was named to the Canadian National Softball Team. She will have the opportunity to represent her home nation in the Canada Cup, an international competition held in South Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The tournament will take place during the second week of July. Then, Jones and Team Canada will play in the Pan American Championship from June 27th through July 4th.

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Jones, a native of Surrey, spent one season on the diamond with South Carolina. Following two years at Minnesota and two more at North Carolina, she transferred to the Gamecocks before the 2024 campaign. In garnet and black, she played in all 60 games and started 56 between the outfield and DP.

During her time with USC, Jones didn’t light up the scorebook, but she was a good defender and a steady presence. The right-hander logged 12 extra-base hits in 2024. She had the best series of her career against Ole Miss that season, slugging two home runs in one game and three hits in another. Uncoincidentally, the Gamecocks swept the Rebels that weekend.

Jones also has the distinction of making some baseball history. Before joining the South Carolina softball program, she coached some summer league ball on the overhand-pitching side of things. Jones became the first female coach in Coastal Plain League history. She served as the bench coach for the Macon Bacon in 2022. Then, when head coach Kevin Soine missed a game due to illness, Jones stepped in as the team’s manager, making her the first female manager ever in collegiate summer ball.

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