Arkansas softball adds Duke transfer

Duke's Kristina Foreman runs during an NCAA softball game on Friday, May 20, 2022, in Durham, N.C. (AP Photo/Kara Durrette)

Arkansas softball has added Duke transfer Kristina Foreman to its roster, Razorbacks coach Courtney Deifel announced Saturday.

Foreman should be a solid add for Arkansas, which is coming off a program-best 48 wins and Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament titles. She made 165 starts over four seasons for the Blue Devils, primarily at second base.

She will have one year of eligibility remaining.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Kristina,” Deifel said in a release. “She is a proven competitor that has performed and produced at an elite level through her time at Duke. She brings a great deal of experience and power to our already dynamic lineup.

"On top of that, she is an incredibly impressive student and leader, and there is no doubt she will make an immediate impact on our program.”

Foreman led Duke to a second-place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference and an NCAA Super Regional appearance. She started 48 games, earning All-ACC second-team honors and All-Southeast Region second-team honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association.

She led the Blue Devils in batting average (.398), OPS (1.267), RBI (56), slugging percentage (.797) and ranked second on the team in hits (51), home runs (15), runs scored (41) and total bases (102) in 2022. Foreman was near the top of the league in several statistical categories.

She ranked second in RBI and third in batting average, home runs and slugging percentage, and fourth in OPS.

Foreman broke Duke’s single-season RBI record last season. She became the first Blue Devil to be named to consecutive ACC All-Tournament teams after a stellar performance tabbed her to the 2022 team.

Arkansas has had good luck with transfers recently as outfielder KB Sides and pitcher Chenise Delce both earned All-American honors for the Razorbacks this past season.

Sides, who came from Alabama as a grad transfer prior to last season, claimed SEC Player of the Year honors as well as first-team NFCA All-American honors. Sides led the SEC during conference play in hits (34) and runs scored (27) and ranked second in batting average (.453), on-base percentage (.543), total bases (64), and third in slugging percentage (.853).

She capped her 2022 season by setting a single-season program record in runs scored with 67 and the second-most stolen bases with 28. Sides’ .389 batting average is the second highest in a season in program history.

Delce transferred from Tulsa before last season and has another season of eligibility remaining. She was named SEC Pitcher of the Year and MVP of the SEC Tournament.

The right hander led Arkansas with a 2.12 ERA, 188 strikeouts, 14 complete games and 8 shutouts. She finished 19-3 in a team-high 151 2/3 innings pitched.