Creighton Softball Announces Addition of Three Transfers for 2025 Season
OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton softball head coach Krista Wood boosted her 2025 signing class on Friday, August 2 with the addition of Wichita State transfer Avery Barnard, Nebraska transfer Ashley Smetter and Furman transfer Hannah Poole.
Barnard, an outfielder from Beatrice, Neb., arrives at Creighton after spending the 2024 season at Wichita State. As a Shocker, Barnard appeared in 26 games, scoring a total of seven runs primarily as a pinch runner. Off the field, the rising sophomore excelled in the classroom earning a spot on the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team before claiming Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors.
Prior to her time with Wichita State, Barnard was a four-year starter and three-time captain at Beatrice High School, where she led the Orangemen to back-to-back conference championships as a junior and senior. A three-time NSAA Class B First Team All-State and All-Conference selection, Barnard closed out her prep career with a .597 batting average, an OPS of 1.500, an OBP of .656 and 17 steals as a senior.
A high-level athlete, Barnard was also a star on the basketball and track teams. She earned all-conference and all-state honors on the hardwood, while qualifying for the state track meet all four years. In the classroom, Barnard maintained a 4.0 GPA earning Academic All-State honors and a Scholastic Achievement Award.
Smetter, a Lincoln, Neb. native, spent the past two seasons at Nebraska, where she helped the Huskers to 66 victories and a 2023 NCAA Tournament appearance. Over the course of her two seasons with the Huskers, Smetter appeared in 26 games, posting a .304 career batting average with two doubles and seven runs scored. Off the diamond, the rising junior excelled in the classroom claiming Academic All-Big Ten accolades as a sophomore and a spot on the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team in 2023 and 2024.
A graduate of Lincoln Southwest High School, Smetter guided the Silverhawk’s to two Class A State Championships. Smetter, the 140th ranked recruit by Extra Innings Softball, was a two-time Omaha World Herald and Lincoln Journal Star First Team Super State selection. She earned Third Team NFCA All-American honors after recording a .493 batting average, a .590 on-base percentage, 27 stolen bases, 63 runs, 66 hits, .873 slugging percentage, 18 doubles and three triples as a senior. Smetter also played club softball for Iowa Premier Gold National under head coach Greg Dickel.
Poole, a Nicholson, Ga. native, comes to Creighton with one year of eligibility remaining after spending the previous two seasons at Furman. While with the Paladins, Poole appeared in 84 games, earning 77 starts as a second baseman and designated player. Over the course of her two seasons in Greenville, S.C., Poole registered a .249 batting average with 58 hits and 39 RBI. As a junior, Poole was named Southern Conference Player of the Week after going 5-for-9 with a double, three homers, and 10 RBIs in a three-game series sweep at Western Carolina.
Prior to her time at Furman, Poole played two seasons at Radford, where she guided the Highlanders to 32 victories, including a 13-3 overall record in the shortened 2020 COVID-19 season. Appearing in 54 games, Poole recorded a .208 batting average with 30 hits, eight doubles, six home runs and 28 RBI. Her first career hit came in a big way, launching a two-run home run to help defeat Sacred Heart as a freshman.
Before arriving at Radford, Poole graduated from East Johnson High School in Georgia, where she was a four-year varsity starter. Playing primarily on the infield, Poole was voted to the Class 3A All-State team as a sophomore after guiding the Eagles to the 2016 Georgia Class 3A state championship. A four-time all-region selection, Poole finished her prep career with a .348 batting average and a .402 on-base percentage while establishing new school records with 15 career home runs and 107 career RBI.
