Tennessee softball head coach Karen Weekly landed her sixth Class of 2028 commitment on Sunday night. Megan Kuiper, a four-star pitcher out of Woodstock, Illinois, announced her decision on social media.
“I am so incredibly excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at The University of Tennessee!! 🧡💙
“First, I want to thank my parents for always supporting me and helping make all of this possible. To my dad, thank you for always being willing to catch for me, pushing me to be the best version of myself, and believing in me every step of the way. To my mom, thank you for always taking videos, cheering me on, and being there for me through it all. I truly couldn’t do this without you both!”
Kuiper plays for the Iowa Premier National 18U Dickel/Shannon travel team. She is ranked No. 40 nationally in the Class of 2028 according to Softball America by Rule 42. Softball America’s evaluation highlights her ability to work both the top and bottom of the zone, with sharp vertical movement that produces plenty of whiffs on her riseball. She held steady at 65-67 mph throughout the outing they observed, and her delivery hides the ball well, making it tough for hitters to read her grip and release.
The Lady Vols are building a strong 2028 class across the board, with five of six commits inside the top 150. Kuiper is the second pitcher to commit and joins outfielder Caelyn Campos, pitcher Reagan Eldred, middle infielder Nevaeh Wilson, corner infielder Kenzie White and corner infielder Sophia Galindo.
Kuiper’s commitment came on the same day Tennessee drew a packed crowd to Blue Raider Softball Stadium for a fall matchup with MTSU. After the game, I asked Weekly what that kind of turnout in Middle Tennessee says to her younger players.
“When we come mid-state or go to the west side of the state, those people don’t always have that opportunity,” Weekly said of fans outside the Knoxville area who rarely get to see the Lady Vols in person. “So to me, I feel a lot of pride in that, knowing so many people are supporting them and want to watch them play. But I also hope that they feel, along with that, a great sense of responsibility that every time you go out, these people expect and they deserve your absolute best.
“And you should be locked in and focused every single second of the game. Every pitch matters because that’s what it means to play at Tennessee. We expect to do things at a really high level. We have a standard of excellence, and that’s not always something that’s easy for young women to understand. But to be great, there’s a sacrifice. But in the end, it’s worth it. So hopefully they’re very proud to see all these people come out, but also understand they deserve my absolute best every day.”
That message carries beyond the current roster. Kuiper and the rest of the 2028 class are committing to a program that draws a ton of support, and to a head coach who expects that support to be matched with focus on every pitch.
