“Delani is a dream for any coach. She pushes herself and then encourages those around her to raise their level of play. She’s a gifted athlete, but off the field she’s an even better person than she is a player.”

Missy Smith

Head Coach - Hoover coach

Athletic Excellence

The 5-foot-7 senior right-handed pitcher was named a PGF Northeast Region All-American in 2020 and concluded her prep career with a 52-3 record, a 0.53 ERA and victories in the last three Class AA state championship games. The state’s Gatorade Softball Player of the Year as a sophomore, Buckner was the West Virginia Sports Writers Association Player of the Year as a junior. She posted an 20-1 record with a 0.33 ERA in 2019, striking out 273 batters in 127 innings pitched while issuing just 18 walks. Buckner also batted .495 with two home runs and 33 RBI.

Academic Achievement

Buckner has maintained a 4.41 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on scholarship at Appalachian State University.

Exemplary Character

Vice President of her senior class, Buckner has volunteered locally on behalf of blood-donation drives and youth sports programs.