Macy Hamby is one of the top softball players in Gilmer High School’s history.
The 2023 GHS honor graduate was a four-year all-region player for the Lady Cats. Her next destination will be Appalachian State University where she will take the field for the Mountaineers.
Hamby also received a scholarship offer from the University of Memphis and took unofficial visits to the University of South Carolina and Georgia State. She made a verbal commitment to ASU following her junior season at GHS.
“I really didn’t have a dream school, so I was reaching out to so many different colleges,” Hamby said of recruiting. “App State showed complete interest in me, and I felt super wanted there. One of my travel ball teammates is going there as well, and there are two players there I already know. They’ve all talked so good about it.
“After I went on my visit, I knew right then and there this was my place. After they made the offer, I knew that’s where I wanted to go.”
Hamby followed the path of softball’s most successful players. She joined her first travel team when she was 10, and by the time she was 13, she was ready to take her game to the next level. That is when Hamby started playing for Georgia Power, and her travels with the club took her all over the country.
Between fall tournaments and the summer season, Hamby said she played “well over” 50 games yearly against some of the top competition available. In her latest completed season, which was the summer of 2022 at the time of the interview, Hamby and Georgia Power placed second in a national tournament in Colorado and won tournaments in Chattanooga and Altamonte Springs, Fla.
“Those atmospheres are super energetic,” Hamby said of the bigger tournaments. “Everyone is so excited and so motivated. It’s one of the best experiences I’ve gone through, and I love every single person on my team. I still have contact with the ones who have already gone on to play in college.”
Even though it was not the easiest schedule to maintain over the years, Hamby has no regrets.
“Throughout my life, I’ve dedicated myself to softball going to practice four days per week and then to tournaments on weekends,” she said. “It’s a lot, and messes with your mental health a little bit, but it is for sure worth it. I’ve worked all my life to get this attention from college coaches. I was super dedicated and never thought, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’ It was hard, but I definitely wanted to keep going.”
Hamby said she forged strong bonds on the travel scene and made lifelong friends with both players and coaches. Facing quality opposition allowed her to build skills that served her well during her time at GHS.
Hamby made an immediate impact in her first season at Gilmer. She started at shortstop and was the only freshman selected to the all-region first team. She led GHS with a .333 batting average, .545 slugging percentage, 19 runs scored and seven doubles. Her 22 hits and 17 RBIs ranked second on the team.
Gilmer finished fourth in the standings and lost in the first round of the state tournament. In 2020, the Cats won the region championship and were 19-6 on the season.
They posted a 17-1 record against region opponents, but had a tough draw in the first round of state. GHS was eliminated by Ringgold, and the Tigers returned to the finals to win a second consecutive title.
Hamby had another stellar season and led the Cats offensively in batting average (.500), hits (36), RBIs (41), doubles, (10) triples (five) and home runs (4). She was second on the team with 24 runs.
Hamby also had a more significant pitching role and posted a 4-2 record and 2.18 ERA.
Head coach Amanda Mullis stepped down after the season and was replaced by Eric Tedders. GHS fielded a young squad that was hampered by injuries and depth. Gilmer missed the state tournament, but Hamby had another strong season.
She batted .393 and was No. 1 on the team with 14 RBIs, eight doubles and two home runs to go with 15 runs scored.
The Cats fared better in 2022 but still fell short of the postseason. Hamby celebrated a fourth first team all-region selection and led GHS in batting average (.433), on-base percentage (.478), runs (22), RBIs (18) and home runs (6).
She started four games and earned one win. She posted a 3.58 ERA over 29 1/3 innings pitched and struck out 33.
While Hamby was a mainstay at shortstop for GHS, she played third base with travel teams. At App State, that will also be her position. Hamby noted the Mountaineers have some experience returning to third, but that player has also seen time at catcher and first base.
“I’ve always loved playing third. That’s my position and the position I’ve been known for,” Hamby said. “I’m hoping my glove will be good enough to get me in the lineup if I’m not hitting well. (Competing for a starting spot) is intimidating, and now I’ll be playing with and against some 23-year-olds, and that’s definitely mind-blowing. I think my travel ball coaches and teammates have helped prepare me for this. I know I’m going to have to work my butt off to get that spot.”
Hamby has not selected a degree path but is leaning toward business.
“I’m going to figure my major out, and I also want to figure out who I am outside of softball,” she said. “I’m not just going there to play softball and do well. I want to figure out who I’m going to be without college, and who I’m going to be after softball.”
App State competes in the NCAA’s Division I as members of the Sun Belt Conference.