FIRST-YEAR (2025): Played in 37 games, making 35 starts along the way, in her first season at Salem … capped off the season by ranking in the Top-5 of 10 offensive categories, including home runs (2-t-1st), sacrifice bunts (5-1st), sacrifice flies (3-1st), runs scored (14-t-2nd), RBI (13-2nd), doubles (6-2nd), stolen bases (6-3rd), slugging percentage (.410-4th), total bases (34-t-4th), hits (20-5th) … topped all Salem fielders in putouts (131) and assists (51) … made her collegiate debut in the opening game of the season against Columbia International (Feb. 14) … collected her first hit and two-hit game in the second game versus Columbia International (Feb. 14), where she closed 2-for-4 with a run scored … responsible for two RBI, a double and a stolen base in 6-2 win over St. Andrews (Feb. 27) in the first game of the series … capped off the series with the Knights by going 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored … posted four hits, two in each game, four RBI and three runs scored along with a double in the series with Guilford (March 1) … opened the series with the Quakers by going 2-for-4 with three RBI and a double before finishing 2-for-3 with her first home run, an RBI and two runs scored in the night cap on March 1st … finished 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and a run scored in game two against Averett (March 6) … connected on her lone triple of the slate in game one against Covenant (March 8), where she was 1-for-3 from the plate … closed 1-for-4 against Oberlin (March 9), leading Salem to a 6-1 win after accounting for one RBI, one RBI and a stolen base … picked up her fourth double of the season in game two against the Yeomen, closing out a 2-1 win, after finishing 1-for-3 with two RBI … delivered three hits, including a home run, as she tallied an RBI and two runs against Brevard (March 26) in game two, resulting in a 9-7 win … had singles against No. 24 Pfeiffer (Game 2-March 28) and N.C. Wesleyan (Game 1-April 5) … responsible for a double in a a 1-for-2 outing against Southern Virginia (Game 2-April 1), her final of the season … scored the fifth run of the day after reaching base as a pinch hitter against Methodist (April 26), helping the Spirits claim the 7-6 (8 innings) win.
PREP: Graduated from Isle of Wight Academy in 2024 … a multi-sport athlete who competed in softball (four years), basketball (four), cross country (three) and volleyball (one) … played softball for the trio of Jill Edwards, Dana Edwards and Jamie Johnson from 2021-24 … competed on the basketball team coached by Chris Hooper (2021-24) … ran from 2021-24 on the cross country team, coached by Margarita Castillo … played volleyball for Dana Edwards in 2024 … named as Most Valuable Player of the Chargers’ jayvee softball team as a junior (2021) and the varsity team in 2024 … recognized as Most Valuable Player of both the jayvee (2022) and varsity (2024) basketball teams … earned Varsity softball Defensive Player of the Year honors in both 2022 and 2023 … distinguished as Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISSA) Division II First Team All-State member (2022-24) … named Isle of Wight Academy Sportsman of the Year as a senior (2024) … led her cross country team to second-place finish in VISSA Division II State Championships (10th grade) … guided her softball team to second place finish in the VISSA Division II State Championships (10th, 12th) … competed on the Coastal Storm Softball Club Team between fourth and twelfth grade.
PERSONAL: Reese Estelle Upton … daughter of Evie and Phillip Upton … born on August 4, 2006 … has three siblings: Olivia, Lorraine and Ian … member of National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society … member of both Honor Roll (9th) and Headmaster’s List (10th-12th) … served as Junior Marshall … received French Language Award (9th-11th) … active in Key Club … named to ALA Girls State … took part in Isle of Wight Student Leadership Program … competed in Scholastic Bowl Team and Battle of the Brains … member of Forensics Club.
