Macauley Bailey records Preseason All-SAC nod
Santana Anderson, Grace Gregory, Abbi Martin and Malyiah Smith were named as players to watch
VIDEO: Macauley Bailey Interview
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Macauley Bailey was named to the South Atlantic Conference's preseason all-conference, the league office announced Tuesday.
Santana Anderson, Grace Gregory, Abbi Martin and Malyiah Smith were also named players to watch by the league.
Macauley Bailey enters her fourth season in Mossy Creek as one of the best to have donned the orange and blue. The Cross Plains native is the program leader with 48 home runs and 190 runs batted in her career so far. She is coming off another All-South Atlantic Conference First Team and All-Region campaign.
"She has been one of the best hitters in Carson-Newman and South Atlantic Conference history during her tenure here," head coach Michael Graves said. "You don't find players like her very often."
In 2025, Bailey hit .447 on the year with a .506 on-base percentage and .893 slugging, all career-best marks. Additionally, she had career-highs with 67 hits, 13 doubles and 18 home runs, adding to her previous record as the only player in the program with three straight seasons with 15 or more home runs. She also drove in 62 runs, becoming the first player in school history with three consecutive seasons with 60 or more RBIs.
Santana Anderson made an immediate impact in her first season at Carson-Newman after transferring from Limestone, starting in 42 games before missing the end of the year with an injury. The Fairmount, North Carolina native hit .323 with eight doubles, eight home runs and drove in 33 runs, while racking up nine multi-RBI games. She scored 32 runs and went 2-for-2 on stolen bases and had a .385 on-base percentage with a .569 slugging percentage.
Recently, Anderson was cleared and has returned to the field ahead of the start of the season.
"I think everyone knows what Santana is capable of with a bat in her hand," Graves said. "We have just got to ease her back into it and get her comfortable with the everyday movements of being on the field."
Grace Gregory, a North Alabama transfer, did not appear in any games in 2025 for the Lions. In her last season in 2024, she played in 17 games with 12 starts, hitting .176 with 4 RBIs. Before her time in Florence, Alabama, the White House native spent two years at Vol State Community College in Gallatin.
At Vol State, she earned first-team all-conference honors for hitting and fielding in 2022 and first-team all-conference honors for fielding in 2023. Batted .396 as a freshman with 20 homers, 11 doubles, two triples, 65 hits, 21 walks, 69 RBI and eight stolen bases. As a sophomore, she batted .429 with 20 homers, 11 doubles, one triple, 78 hits, 13 walks, 62 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
"There is nothing not to like about Grace. The energy she brings to the field every day is contagious. I wish I had more like her," Graves said. "On the field, she is a true leader. She is great defensively, and I can't wait for people to see what she can with the bat."
Last year, Abbi Martin continued to be a steady piece in the lineup, starting all 48 games for the Eagles. She produced a pair of career-highs with a .332 average and 47 hits, with eight doubles and one triple, while driving in 19 runs. She totaled 13 multi-hit games in 2025.
Additionally, she had a new career-best .442 OBP, drawing 17 walks and striking out just five times. Martin continued her success on the base paths, scoring 32 times with a team-high 12 stolen bases, and ended the year tied for ninth in program history in career steals with 39.
"I'm excited that Abbi is finally getting some recognition," Graves said. "Not only has she carried a high batting average and on-base percentage for us, but that kid has been one of the best outfielders in the conference the last couple of years."
Malyiah Smith headlines an impressive freshman class set to make their debuts this weekend. The Knoxville native is one of four lefties on the C-N roster. Smith was praised in the fall for her ability to get on base as a slapper to set up the heart of the order.
"Malyiah is going to be one of the best shortstops that Carson-Newman has ever had," Graves said. "The plays she made in the fall games just wowed everyone. She is also going to be our lead-off batter and someone who can set the table for the rest of the team."
Carson-Newman opens the season on January 31st with the Carson-Newman Classic against Concord and Kentucky State. The opening game will be at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday against Concord from The Vickee Kazee-Hollifield Softball Complex. Every home game can be heard on cneagles.com/live with live video available on the Eagle Sports Network.
