On Friday (Oct. 22, 2021), we announced that the top-ranked player in the country for the senior class—the final 2022 Extra Elite 100—is pitcher extraordinaire Kierston Deal, a lefty committed to Oklahoma, who hails from Winston Salem, North Carolina.
What makes this talented pitcher unique and worth noting as the No. 1 overall rated player by Extra Inning Softball?
She’s a successful and competitive multi-sport athlete, sure, but what really surprised us about Kierston is that she wasn’t really on the national softball scouting or recruiting radars when assembled the previous 2022 class rankings early last year.
But that changed when Kierston had a huge Spring and Summer of 2020 and ended up committing to South Carolina at the end of the year. Those close to her, however, felt that the then Junior had rushed a decision and, consequently, reopened her recruiting in 2021 and that opened the floodgates.
Before long, 30 major college programs were knocking on the Deal’s door (metaphorically!) and the previous unknown became one of the most coveted prospects in the Class of 2022.
Thus, Kierston becomes the first player we’ve ever ranked who wasn’t in the Top 100 in the penultimate class rankings but ended up jumping all the way No. 1.
Controversial move?
Maybe, but after all the feedback we got from college and club scouts, it was pretty clear that the best lies ahead for the future Boomer Sooner.
What’s fun is to learn about the young girl who grew into such a promising softball prospect… here are 21 facts we learned about Kierston as we communicated with her mom, Michele, who herself played college softball…
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* What’s in a Name? The young athlete’s full name is “Kierston Marga Deal” although she’s better known as “KD.” Her dad, Tony, picked out “Kierston” and “Marga” is a family name: her great grandmother from Germany, her grandmother and her mom all have the name “Marga.”
* Rise & Shine! Kierston was a happy kid. Every time she stayed at her grandparents, she would wake up early and say “It’s morning time, see!”… and then open the blinds to greet the brand new day!
* Singing Sensation: The Deal family went on Disney cruise at the age of 5. At one of the shows, the leaders of the entertainment shows asked if anyone who would like to sing High School Musical’s “Starting Something New.” Kierston raised her hand, got on stage and “sang her heart out,” according to her Mom!
* Songs in Her Heart: She has continued to sing and in high school is part of a Madrigals group.
* Finding Fastpitch: Kierston took her first gymnastic class at age 5 and continued until 7. She played tee ball and then moved into coach pitch softball. The young athlete fell “head over heels” with softball and took her first pitching lesson at age of 7. At age of 9 she started her lessons with Billy “Chief” Gerald and their bond is closer than ever.
* Star Spangled Singer: Kierston started with her first travel team at the age of 7 and when the team played in the Top Gun Summer World Series, she sang the National Anthem in front of 3,000 people it’s estimated.
* Prophetic Prediction: Even before she got into “double digits” (10 years old), Kierston said she wanted to play ball at Oklahoma or Alabama. Why? “Because they are on TV more,” she told family members! “You gotta love how a 9-year-old thinks,” laughs her mom.
* Owwies: KD fell off of a monkey bar set in first grade and dislocated and her left elbow and also suffered a hairline fracture. She also fractured her first rib pitching during a travel ball game. Ouch!
* Gator Wrangler: When she was in the 3rd grade, Kierston’s family went to Florida and the burgeoning softball player was brave enough to hold an alligator.
* Run Kierston Run: Some people don’t run a 5K ‘til they are adults; KD ran her first 5K when she was in elementary school for a school fund raiser.
* Oui, Oui… Je Parle Francais: Kierston tried out and was selected to join a children’s music chorus group. From this, she was selected to be in musical play “South Pacific,” in the role of a French girl and had to learn her songs and lines in French!
* Unusual Bait: She loves when her Papa takes the boat to the beach and they go fishing. One trip she caught the most fish and she swears it’s because she “used left over waffle”—from the Waffle House—as bait!
* Six Sport Standout: Kierston has played all types of sports including basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, softball, soccer (8th grade) and will run cross country as a Senior.
* Family Affair: “KD loves her family,” says her mother. “She is very close to her grandparents, Gary and Viola, better known as “Grandmall” and “Papa.” They have traveled all over the country with Kierston’s family and she also has special a relationship with her Auntie (Nicole) and her three cousins: Lauren (who is currently at North Carolina State), Johnny and Abby. “She has so many memories from summers and holidays together with them,” Mom adds.
* Diet… of Champions?!? From an early age, she has loved ice cream, Chick fil A (or as KD used to call it: “Chick a ma lay!”) and Mexican food!
* Frequent Flier/Sleeper: Kierston’s very first airplane ride was at the tender age of 1. “She got on the plane and then fell asleep even before we taxied down the runaway!” the mother remembers. “Nothing has changed—even now, she is asleep before we even take off.”
* Extrovert: KD is very active in her high school. “She just loves being at school and joining in,” Mom explains. Kierston is a member of several school groups which keep her busy.
* Student Becomes the Teacher: This past year, the senior has started giving softball lessons, mostly pitching, to young girls who are just getting started in the sport. She has been helping in camps as well “and has fallen in love with this,” Michele adds.
* Initial International Champ: Kierston was part of the first International Challenge in Colorado and her USA Blue Team won it.
* Perfection in Pitching: KD has thrown multiple perfect games including a game-shortened perfecto in July of 2020 as she faced 12 batters, striking out 11 and getting one to fly out for the final out in, Atlanta Legacy. Another one was at Triple Crown in Tennessee last year where she went all 7 innings.
* Super Student-Athlete: The current senior has received Student of the Year (Academics) for her East Forsyth High School located in Kernersville, North Carolina (close to 400 total students) for the 8th, 9th and 10th grade. KD has been ranked in the Top 20 of her class all four years of high school with a 4.4 GPA even consisting of a schedule heavy with Honors and AP classes.
