Gatorade 2023 - 2024: Player of the Year

Softball - Mississippi

athletes playing Softball
The POY Logo
SOFTBALL

Jolie Hays

Left-handed pitcher/outfielder
NORTHWEST RANKIN HS
FLOWOOD, MISSISSIPPI
SENIOR
Height: 5-FOOT-4
Press Release

Peak Performance

0.86

ERA

113.2

Innings Pitched

.524

Batting Average

29

RBI
“She was a very important piece of their state championship. Her pitching was still very good, but her over .500 batting average was even more impactful. She had key hits all year long for them. She’s also one of the smartest pitchers I have ever faced in setting up batters to fail.”
Jimmy Parker
Head Coach head coach at Harrison Central High
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The state’s returning Gatorade Player of the Year, the 5-foot-4 senior left-handed pitcher and outfielder led the Cougars to a 34-0 record and the Class 7A state championship this past season. Hays compiled a record of 20-0 with a 0.86 ERA and 189 strikeouts in 113.2 innings pitched. She also batted .524 with 29 RBI and was named Class 7A Miss Softball.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Hays has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play softball on scholarship at the University of Southern Mississippi this fall. 

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

Hays has volunteered locally at a homeless shelter and on behalf of a Christmas outreach initiative for children in need. She has also served as a coach at Northwest Rankin’s summer hitting and pitching camps.