CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard softball head coach Jenny Allard announced today her incoming Class of 2026. The group consists of five standouts hailing from five states and brings a variety of positional talent to an experienced roster.
 
Arriving in time for the fall semester will be outfielder Lael Ayala (Atlanta, Ga.), infielder/outfielder Lillian Cooper (Southlake, Texas), right-handed pitcher Riley Flynn (Phoenix, Ariz.), left-handed pitcher Ryan Grace (Sammamish, Wash.) and infielder Finley Payne (Liberty Township, Ohio).
 
"I am thrilled to welcome these amazing student-athletes to the Harvard Softball Family," Allard said. "They have been standout performers on their high school and club teams, and they are excited to contribute to the tradition of excellence that is a trademark of Harvard Softball. Moreover, they will make considerable contributions off the field in their academic pursuits, and with the larger Harvard Community."
 
The quintet will join a Crimson program than advanced to the Ivy League Playoff Series in 2022, its first full season since 2019, and graduated just one starter off a team that went 22-20 overall (15-6 Ivy). Harvard, which posted its school-record 14^th straight completed season with a .500-or-better record, is also scheduled to return 99.3 percent of its innings pitched from a year ago.
 
Below is an in-depth look at Harvard Softball's Class of 2026:

Lael Ayala 

Atlanta, Ga. (Mill Creek High)
OF 

Before Harvard

Earned varsity letters at Mill Creek from 2019-21… Played on the club circuit with EC Bullets – Mayfield, starting in the outfield all four years… Named a 2018 Georgia Softball All-American… Considered one of the top outfielders in the nation and ranked No. 88 by Extra Innings Softball… Collected Scholar-Athlete honors each year, beginning in 2019… Voted a Gwinnett Athlete of the Year in 2020… Helped Mill Creek to a third-place finish in the Georgia state tournament… Earned All-Academic honors in 2021… A two-sport star who also earned a varsity letter in flag football… Served as captain of the Mechanical Team for My F.I.R.S.T. Robotics team (2020-22)… Was the lead project manager for her internship with Catalyst Coalition, building COVID-19 sanitation devices (2020-21)… Volunteered at Northeast Georgia Medical Center (Summer 2021) and Hamilton Mill Food Pantry (2018-22)… Member of the National Beta Club (2018-22) and Army ROTC… Enjoys outdoor activities… Father, José Ayala, played professional basketball overseas in Spain and Italy from 1987-89.
 
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Lillian Cooper 

Southlake, Texas (Carroll Senior High)
INF/OF

Before Harvard

Played four years at Carroll Senior High… Played on the club circuit with Bat Busters and then Impact Gold, seeing action at shortstop, third base, outfield and catcher… Earned All-District honors three times, including a first-team nod in 2022… Named to the Texas Fastpitch League All-Star Team in 2022… Led Carroll Senior High in home runs in 2021 and 2022… Recipient of the Coach's Award for hard work and team spirit… Earned a spot on the Texas Academic Athlete All-State First Team… Was a three-time All-Academic Team selection… Graduated Summa Cum Laude and was an AP Scholar with Distinction… Member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (math honor society) and Rho Kappa (social studies honor society)… Part of Student Athlete Serving Others and Academic Honor Roll from 2018-22… Other interests include swimming and working out.
 
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Riley Flynn

Phoenix, Ariz. (Xavier College Preparatory)
RHP

Before Harvard

Earned four letters at Xavier College Preparatory… Played with Arizona Storm 18u National – Mathis from 2021-22… Served as 2022 team captain at Xavier College Prep… Collected Extra Innings All-America First-Team honors and MaxPreps second-team accolades ('21, '22)… MaxPreps listed her as Arizona's best player in the state in '22… Appeared on the PGF Future All-American Game Watch List ('21, '22)… Named the Arizona 6A – Premier Region Player of the Year ('19, '22)… Was a three-time first-team all-region and all-conference selection ('19, '21, '22)… Landed on the Arizona All-State Team ('21, '22)… Named the Arizona 6A state championship player of the game ('21, '22)… Voted the Xavier College Prep softball MVP ('19, '20, '22)… Led Xavier College Prep to back-to-back Arizona 6A state championships ('21, '22), the first two titles in school history… Finished career with a 61-9 record, a 1.74 ERA and 606 strikeouts… Hit .398 over her career… Garnered Arizona Softball All-Academic Team accolades all four years ('19-22)… Member of the National Honor Society ('20-22)… Earned Xavier College Prep Academic First Honors ('18-22)… Served on the Xavier College Prep President's Council in '22… Earned Magna Cum Laude on the National Latin Exam… Other interests include reading, high impact interval training and watching '80s comedies… Mother Tricia, ran cross country and was on the indoor and outdoor track and field teams at UMass Amherst… Father, Sean, played men's tennis at LMU.
 
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Ryan Grace

Sammamish, Wash. (Skyline High)
LHP 

Before Harvard

Earned three varsity letters at Skyline… Pitched for the Northwest Bullets Organization (2021-22)… Served as Skyline's team captain from 2020-22… Garnered 4A Kingco League softball defensive most valuable player… Named the 2022 Skyline Female Athlete of the Year and was a Scorebook Live Washington All-State selection… Enjoyed a banner 2022, setting Skyline single-season records in wins (19), complete games (23), shutouts (7) and strikeouts (303)… Threw 187 innings in 2022 and posted a 1.57 ERA, 303 strikeouts and .189 opponent batting average… Registered 24 strikeouts in a 10-inning district playoff game against the No. 1-ranked team in the state, Jackson High School… Served for two years as a volunteer mentor to the disabled community through the Athletes for Kids organization (2020-22)… Volunteered with Sammamish Little League (2018-22)… Interested in studying biology and public health.
 
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Finley Payne

Liberty Township, Ohio (Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy)
INF

Before Harvard

Played four seasons at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy and on the club circuit with Beverly Bandits Premier (2020-22)… Served as Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy team captain in 2020, 2021 and 2022… Was a three-time Miami Valley Conference Player of the Year… Ranked in the Extra Innings Elite Top 100… Voted the MaxPreps Athlete of the Week on May 16, 2022… Ranked first in Ohio in slugging percentage (1.813), second in average (.729) and on-base percentage (.822), and fourth in home runs (14), according to MaxPreps… Helped Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy to a district runner-up performance in 2021 for the first time in school history… Was an eight-time Miami Valley Conference All-Academic selection… Recipient of the President's Volunteer Service Award… Member of the National Honor Society… Graduated Summa Cum Laude… Other interests include tennis, lifting, biking, service and cooking… Father, Roy, played minor league baseball… Cousin, Caden Crawford, is a Class of 2026 baseball player at Evansville.