Carley Hoover

Personal: Hoover is the daughter of Dave and Jolene Hoover. Her father earned All-America honors in track and field at Lewis University and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. Her mother was the head volleyball coach at Clemson University from 1993 to 2014, posting a 224-166 record. Hoover's sister, Hayley, played volleyball at Southern Wesleyan. A three-sport athlete in high school, Hoover also competed in basketball and volleyball, and was honored as the 2013 Gatorade National Player of the Year at D.W. Daniel High School.

Other Professional Experience: Hoover was selected by the Cleveland Comets with the ninth overall pick in the 2018 National Pro Fastpitch Draft. She was named the 2022 Japan Diamond Softball League Player of the Year after leading the league with 18 wins, 198 strikeouts, and a 1.66 earned run average over 152 innings for Denso Bright Pegasus. In the 2024 season, Hoover posted a 4-5 record with a 2.08 earned run average over 21 appearances, compiling 115 strikeouts across 84.0 innings. In 2023, she ranked fourth in the JD League East District with a 1.92 earned run average and tallied 92 strikeouts over 98.1 innings with a 10-7 record.

International Experience: Hoover authored a 1.50 earned run average with three strikeouts in 4.2 innings with Team USA during the 2018 Japan All-Star Series. She did not allow an earned run in 5.0 innings during the 2018 USA Softball International Cup while posting five strikeouts. Hoover was also a member of the Team USA roster for the 2018 Japan Cup, where she pitched a 0.00 earned run average with three strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Additionally, she participated in the 2016 World Cup of Softball with Team USA, posting a 1.31 earned run average with six strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

College Experience: Hoover was a four-year letter winner at LSU after spending her freshman season at Stanford. She appeared in 143 career games with 92 starts and finished her career with a 1.73 earned run average and 780 strikeouts over 701.0 innings. Hoover posted a 73-30 record with 10 saves, throwing 67 complete games, including 21 shutouts. She guided LSU to three NCAA Women’s College World Series appearances and earned NFCA Third-Team All-America honors twice. Hoover also received NFCA All-South Region distinction four times, including two First-Team selections, and was named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference as a redshirt freshman and a Second-Team honoree in 2016. She was a member of the 2015 SEC All-Freshman Team and a two-time Louisiana Pitcher of the Year, earning All-Louisiana recognition four times, including two First-Team selections. Hoover ranks fourth in LSU history with 138 career appearances, sixth with 87 career starts, and fifth in LSU history with 66 complete games, 754 strikeouts, and 684.0 innings pitched. She is second in program history with 10 career saves and threw three no-hitters during her time at LSU. As a redshirt senior, Hoover posted a 16-7 record with a 1.60 earned run average over 29 appearances, including 21 starts. She led the team with 186 strikeouts over 161.2 innings and was an NFCA Third-Team All-America selection, throwing 18 complete games with seven shutouts. During her redshirt junior season, Hoover appeared in 33 games with 19 starts, posting a 1.19 earned run average with 14 complete games and team-high 169 strikeouts. She compiled a 15-8 record and held opponents to a .175 batting average. Hoover struck out 11 batters in a no-hitter against Louisiana Tech on February 15, 2017, and helped LSU clinch an NCAA Women’s College World Series appearance after scattering three hits over 3.1 innings of relief against Florida State in the Super Regionals. As a redshirt sophomore in 2016, Hoover became the first LSU pitcher to post 20 or more wins in a season since 2012, finishing with a 22-8 record and a 2.27 earned run average. She had 19 complete games, five shutouts, and two saves, while striking out 225 batters over 194.1 innings. Hoover threw her first career no-hitter against Tennessee Tech with five strikeouts in a five-inning victory. She also matched the LSU single-season record with five saves as a redshirt freshman in 2015. Hoover was a finalist for NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year after posting a 1.78 earned run average with 174 strikeouts in 169.0 innings, leading the Tigers in wins, appearances, innings pitched, and saves. She was named the MVP at the NCAA Regional after posting a 0.40 earned run average with a 2-1 record and 10 strikeouts over 17.1 innings.