On Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, Neshaminy seniors Asia Barnard, Kiley Gurysh, Liana Jones and Rachael Kohler were recognized for signing letters of intent to play softball at the collegiate level. Check back for a gallery of photos.
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“All four of these kids are just awesome, awesome kids,” coach Ken Gurysh said. “They’re high character kids. They do well in school, and they surround themselves with the right people. They’re all hard workers, and they’re very good softball players on top of that.”
Asia Barnard – West Chester University (Softball)
Major: Academic Advising
Final list of colleges: West Chester, Kutztown
Reasons for choosing West Chester: “I think what drew me to West Chester – when I went to Kutztown, I liked it, but it wasn’t it. When I
went to West Chester, it was like ‘This is it.’ Something clicks, and you just know you’re where you’re supposed to be. My sister (Macy) is also at West Chester, and we’re really close, so knowing I’ll have her there was another big factor I really wanted to have.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “It was something I always wanted to do, but it’s a very mental game, so anytime I got down, will I actually make it was a question going through my head a lot. You want to do something so bad, and if you get shot down by a school or if any little thing goes wrong like your grades aren’t up to par, you’re like – this might not actually happen. The day that I chose West Chester I was like ‘Wow, I actually get to live my dream.’ It’s a feeling I will never forget personally because you work so hard, and when you finally get the one thing you’ve worked for your whole life, there’s no other feeling in the world like it.”
Coach Ken Gurysh says: “Asia Barnard has been fast as lightening ever since she was a freshman. She got varsity time as a freshman just running the bases. She worked herself into the starting lineup as a junior and batted leadoff. She was very successful and first team All-SOL National. She’s become a very good outfielder, and she made a great transition last year when we lost a player and she moved in and filled in very well at second base. She’s a versatile player as well.”
About Asia:
Favorite food: Pork Roll & Cheese Sandwich
Favorite movie: The Lion King
Favorite music: Everything
Kiley Gurysh – Sacred Heart University (Softball)
Major: Health Sciences/Physician’s Assistant
Final list of colleges: Sacred Heart, Fairleigh Dickinson, Jefferson University, Bryant
Reasons for choosing Sacred Heart: “I chose Sacred Heart because right when I stepped on campus it felt like home, and the coaches were really nice. They also have what I want to major in.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “When I was younger, I would always watch softball on TV, and I would think about how cool it would be to play in college on a bigger stage. In ninth grade, the recruiting process started, and it began to become a reality when schools started becoming interested in me, and I knew it was something I always wanted to do.”
Coach Ken Gurysh says: “Kiley is a well-rounded player, and she’s a hard worker. She was not always the biggest or strongest kid, but she has come into her own. She has a great glove. She can hit for power as well as average. She’s versatile, she has a strong arm and she can play any infield position. Her best asset is her mental strength.”
About Kiley:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: Diehard
Favorite music: Country
Liana Jones – Penn State University (Softball)
Major: Undecided
Reasons for choosing Penn State: “I honestly was not considering any other schools. When I started going through the recruiting process, 
my mom always said, ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.’ At the time, I was a freshman, and I said, ‘I’m young, I’m going to go for it. If it doesn’t work out, then I’ll figure it out’ because once I stepped on Penn State’s campus, it felt like home, and I fell in love with everything. That’s the only place I wanted to go. My older brother (Peyton) plays ice hockey at Penn State, so being up there for all of his games – we know so many people up there.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “Since I was younger, I always wanted to play in college. My dad always said, ‘Work hard because everyone out there is working hard and wants to be better, so work hard and make sure you’re the best.’
“My freshman year I went to a Penn State camp, and after the camp, the coach asked me to send her my schedule. Once I sent her my schedule, she came out and watched my games and invited me up for a visit.”
Coach Ken Gurysh: “Liana Jones is the kind of athlete that doesn’t come around very often. She’s just a physical specimen as far as an athlete is concerned – she’s fast, she’s strong. You don’t realize how fast she is because she looks so effortless whatever she does. She covers so much ground in the outfield, she can hit for power, she can hit for average, she can steal bases – she can do anything for you on the softball field. She hit five home runs last year, and she has a cannon for an arm in the outfield. She could play any position she wanted. She could probably be a great pitcher if she had decided that’s what she wanted to do when she was younger. She’s that five-tool player, and they don’t come around very often.”
About Liana:
Favorite food: Chicken Parmesan
Favorite TV show: All American
Favorite music: Country
Rachael Kohler – Sacred Heart University (Softball)
Major: Early Childhood Education
Final list of colleges: Sacred Heart, St. Joe’s, Bryant, Misericordia, Moravian
Reasons for choosing Sacred Heart: “They were looking at me a year ago, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to school that far away. I wanted to stay in state, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go Division I, but I took a look at it in the summer, and I fell in love with it. When I first stepped on campus, it felt like home, it was very comfortable, and I liked the coach.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “Freshman year I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to go to college for softball. I was undecided, but I thought I’d give it a shot and put all my cards on the table, and I just kept going with it.”
Coach Ken Gurysh says: “Besides Kylie, I know Rachael better than any of these kids because I coached her since she was 10 years old in LAA all the way up through in-house to when we first started travel and then to Newtown Rock. What people maybe don’t realize is how good of a third baseman she could be if she wasn’t such a stud catcher and if she wasn’t needed behind the plate. She’s got a quick transfer, she’s got a cannon for an arm, she can also hit for power and hit for average. She’s another example of a great kid and a great athlete.”
About Rachael:
Favorite food: Penne Vodka
Favorite TV show: All American
Favorite music: Rap
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