Michigan State softball adds six players to 2022 recruiting class

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MSU softball head coach Jacquie Joseph/ Photo Credit: MSU Athletic Communications

Kevin McCormick, General Assignment Reporter

EAST LANSING — Michigan State’s softball signing class was announced on Wednesday. The class has a total of six players, four of which are in-state signees. They are all expected to enroll in the fall of 2022 and compete in the spring of 2023. 

The four in-state signees from Michigan are Kayla Bane (Chesterfield), Britain Beshears (Novi), Hailey Bila (Laingsburg) and Mandy Esman (Kalamazoo). Sydney Doloszycki joins the squad from Saint John, Indiana, and Bibianna Rodriguez comes from over 2,100 miles away in Victorville, California. 

Kayla Bane was a four year varsity letter-winner in the outfield at Anchor Bay High School. She helped the Tars to Macomb Area Conference championships in her freshman and junior year. She also earned All-league and All-Macomb County First Team honors during her junior year. 

Bane is exceptional off the field as well as on it, being a two-time All-Academic Team selection as well as being an honor roll student. She plans on majoring in pre-law at MSU, hoping to turn that into a sports management lawyer career after graduation. 

Infield signee Britain Beshears had a busy year in 2021, receiving , all-region, first team all-state and Walled Lake Central High School Offensive Player of the Year.  

When it came to club ball, Beshears played for Finesse Fastpitch under head coach Donny Dreher. In her time with Finesse, she played at the USA Softball Gold 16U National Championships and took home first place. Beshears was also ranked No. 121 in the country by Extra Inning Softball. 

She’s no stranger to Spartan nation too, as her mother and two cousins attended Michigan State. While Beshears is currently undecided on her major, she aspires to a career that involves helping others.

Playing club ball alongside Britain Beshears was signee Mandy Esman. She’s a versatile player, being able to play the infield and catcher. Batting left and throwing right, she’s sure to add depth and utility to the Spartans.

While also claiming the USA Softball Gold 16U National Championship, Esman was ranked the No. 48 player in the country by Extra Inning. The Finesse Fastpitch team as a whole was ranked No. 20 in the nation. 

Esman earned first team all-conference as a freshman in 2019 at Gull Lake High School, being named the first team all-district catcher as well. In 2021, she was a part of the Gull Lake conference championship team.

During that same season, she earned first team all-conference, all-region and all-state. Esman was also a National Fastpitch Coaches Association High School third team All-American and First Team All-North Region selection in 2021.

Esman will have two rivalries going on when the Spartans take on Michigan, as her sister Lauren plays softball for the Wolverines. Esman plans to major in agribusiness when she enrolls next fall.

Finishing off the last of the in-state signees is Hailey Bila, who adds much needed diversity to the lineup being a left-handed batter. Playing at Bath High School, Bila was named first team all-conference, all-district, all region and state all-academic in her freshman year. 

Before her junior year, Bila transferred to Laingsburg High School, where she was named to the Lansing Area Dream Team. The change of scenery didn’t hinder her production, as she once again earned first team all-conference, all-district and all-region. 

Bila participated in a multitude of sports in high school including volleyball, basketball and track and field. She adds speed to the outfield for the Spartans, as she earned all-conference honors in the 4×100 relay team at Laingsburg. 

She plans on majoring in kinesiology at MSU, aspiring to work with athletes by providing rehabilitation and physical therapy. 

Sydney Doloszycki is one of two out-of-state signees for Michigan State, coming from St. John, Indiana. 

She played infield at Lake Central High School, where she helped the Indians to a 31-2 record in 2021, as well as a IHSAA Class 4A state title game appearance. Doloszycki earned Duneland Athletic Conference All-Conference team honors as a junior. 

Sydney plans on majoring in physiology at MSU and aspires to pursue a career as an ophthalmologist.

Last, but certainly not least is California signee Bibianna “Bibi” Rodriguez, being the other out-of-state signing for the Spartans.

Rodriguez played for University Preparatory High School in California. In 2019, she was named First Team Cross Valley League and her team’s defensive MVP as a freshman. 

In 2021, Rodriguez was named Cross Valley League Offensive MVP, All-State Small School and All-California Interscholastic Federation D5 team as a junior. She was named a captain of the softball team in 2021, and was also named one for this upcoming season. 

Rodriguez has had a busy time in high school, as she’s a four-year volleyball and basketball player along with softball. Despite her busy schedule, she’s still managed to maintain a GPA above a 4.0. Bibianna plans on majoring in kinesiology at MSU and hopes to pursue a career being a physical therapist.

You can follow Kevin McCormick on Twitter @kmccormick19.