STARKVILLE – Saleyna Daniel, an outfielder out of Houston, Texas, known for her defensive ability, signed with Mississippi State on National Signing Day.

Daniel is a two-time First Team All-District performer and was also named Offensive Player of the Year in 2019 and District MVP in 2020.

“Saleyna Daniel is an exceptional outfielder known for her highlight reel plays,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “She played travel ball for JB Slimp’s Texas Blaze and the Texas Bombers for Coach James Burgess and will be another dynamic athlete in this class. She brings speed, power and an elite work ethic with her to Starkville, and we are looking forward to watching her roam the outfield at Nusz Park.”

Daniel starred at Stratford High School, where her team won a district title in 2020. As a freshman she batted .457 on her way to Second Team All-District honors. That summer her club team, Bombers Gold, played at the PGF Nationals where she was named to the all-tournament team after posting a .511 batting average that season. She closed the summer ranked No. 50 in FloSoftball’s Top 100.

“I chose Mississippi State because the atmosphere made me feel as if I was at home,” Daniel said. “The softball program has the greatest coaching staff I could ask for.”

Her success continued as a sophomore. That year, she slugged seven home runs on her way to First Team All-District honors. The following season, she posted an outstanding .657 batting average with nine homers on the year. By the end of her sophomore club season, she was considered the No. 12 outfielder in the class by Extra Innings Softball.

“Saleyna brings big time athleticism and a knack for SportsCenter-type plays in the outfield,” assistant coach Tyler Bratton said. “Whether it’s a diving catch in the gap or robbing a homerun, ‘Silk’ has a natural instinct and nose for the ball. In addition to her defensive prowess, she brings an impressive combination of speed and pop from the right side. We are excited to add another extremely talented Texan to our ball club.”

Daniel also played basketball as a freshman and sophomore and was a member of the marching band in high school. She is the No. 71 prospect in the 2021 class according to Extra Innings Softball.

Mississippi State softball signed five student-athletes on National Signing Day on Nov. 11. State’s class was ranked No. 26 by Extra Innings Softball, and all but one signee was among the top 100 in the class. The Bulldogs will continue to release an in-depth look at each signee in the coming weeks.

For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching “HailStateSB.”