Catcher Carly Sleeman Signs With Kentucky Softball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Carly Sleeman, a standout catcher who played the last two seasons at Central Michigan University, announced her transfer to the University of Kentucky on Monday afternoon, where she will have two years of eligibility remaining for the Wildcats.
Sleeman, a native of Zeeland, Michigan, was a member of the Mid-American Conference’s First Team in 2025 and was ranked as the No. 8 catcher in the nation by Softball America in their positional rankings. She started all 51 games behind the dish for the Chippewas and ranked inside the top 10 of the MAC in several offensive categories including batting average, hits, slugging, on-base percentage, OPS, RBI and home runs.
“Carly is a dynamic athlete who plays with passion and grit,” Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson said, who will be entering her 19th year in 2026. “While her numbers speak for themselves, her leadership and knowledge of the game will prove invaluable against a loaded SEC schedule.”
Sleeman last year hit .373 with 59 hits in 158 at bats, slugging nine doubles and hammering 17 homers with 50 RBI. She was walked 34 times on the yea and had an impressive on-base percentage of .485 for the Chippewas. For her career, she is hitting .324 with over 100 hits, 28 doubles and 21 HR’s with 80 runs batted in during her two-year stop for CMU.
“I am so excited to be a part of a team that has such strong values and work ethic,” Sleeman said about joining the Kentucky Softball team. “This team already feels like a home!”
In addition to her success on the field, Sleeman was named 2025 All-MAC Academic and was voted as a member of the 2025 CSC Academic All-District Team.
The Kentucky Softball Designated Players Club
The Designated Players is the Official Booster Program of Kentucky Softball. Financial contributions and community support through The Designated Players program, Kentucky Softball will be able to continue to develop our student-athletes on and off the field. To join The Designated Players, you can join online or click here to download the membership form and mail to the address listed. For more information, email Kristine Himes at kentuckysoftball@uky.edu or Larry Cash at Larry.Cash@uky.edu.
For the latest on UK Softball, follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram at @UKSoftball.
