NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State softball added another talented arm to its bullpen with the addition of a former Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year.
 
Head coach Jenny Fuller announced the addition of Division I transfer Madge Layfield on Monday who will join the team this semester as a part of the 2027 signing class and roster.
 
"We're excited to welcome Madge to the Demon Softball program," Fuller said. "She brings a competitive mindset, strong work ethic and a passion for development that aligns perfectly with our culture. We're confident she will make an immediate impact on our pitching staff and help elevate our program."
 
Layfield spent her freshman season at Central Arkansas where she threw 50.1 innings for the Bears, finishing with a 6-4 overall record, a pair of complete games and 20 strikeouts.
 
She had back-to-back complete game victories in early March of 2025 going 7.0 innings against Illinois State (March 8) and 5.0 against Southeast Missouri (March 11). She allowed two runs across those 12 innings, only one of them being earned.
 
She also pitched multiple innings against Power 4 conference opponents Arkansas, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State and Mississippi State during the season.
 
Layfield was a four-year starter and ace for the Sussex Central Knights. She collected 15 or more wins with more than 230 strikeouts in each of her four seasons, finishing with a staggering 73-13 record, with nine no-hitters and 1,045 career strikeouts.
 
She led her team to three state championship game appearances in four seasons, including during her senior season of 2024 on the way to earning the Gatorade Player of the Year honor for the state of Delaware.
 
That season she pitched to a 1.08 ERA with an 18-4 record, a WHIP of 0.77, allowing just 23 earned runs while striking out 275. She graduated with a 3.90 GPA and also served as a volunteer for multiple organizations like the local Special Olympics and Strikeout ALS. She also participated in Educators Rising, working with faculty to improve student leadership.
 
The Demons open the 2026 season on Feb. 6 at the Getterman Classic, hosted by Baylor, against Mississippi State.