Mississippi State softball continues to add talent in the transfer portal this summer, with another mid-major standout joining the roster.
Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year Anna Carder signed with the Bulldogs this week after an impressive junior year at Southern Illinois, where she led the team with a .390 batting average and earned First Team All-Conference honors.
The senior will play her final season with the Bulldogs after collecting 97 career RBI and throwing out 25 runners from behind the plate in three years at Southern Illinois.
The catcher posted the eighth-best slugging percentage in the conference at .617, recording a 1.114 OPS, 42 RBI and seven home runs. She was also named to the All-Conference defensive team for her efforts behind the plate, throwing out nine runners stealing last season.
“Anna Carder brings a ton of experience behind the plate and another left-handed bat to our lineup,” head coach Samantha Ricketts said. “She is a natural leader, and I am looking forward to having her in our locker room and working with our pitching staff.”
Carder is a native of Athens, Ala., where she played alongside current MSU sophomore Morgan Stiles. The pair won a state championship together in 2022, with Carder picking up First Team All-State selections twice.
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