The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Softball adds transfers Lou Gilbert & Isabella Dayton to the program
12.21.2021 | Softball
The outfield duo ventures to the Forty Acres from Baylor (Gilbert) and Arizona (Dayton)
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas head softball coach Mike White officially announced on Tuesday the signings of former Baylor outfielder Lou Gilbert (Junior/OF/Kansas City, Mo./Baylor/Staley H.S.) and former Arizona outfielder Isabella Dayton (Redshirt Sophomore/OF/Wylie, Texas/Arizona/Wylie H.S.) to join the Longhorns program at midterm prior to the 2022 campaign.
"Both Lou Gilbert and Bella Dayton will elevate the athleticism of our team," White said. "They possess excellent speed and defensive capabilities, plus provide our offense with two left-handed hitters that will create problems for opposing defenses. Our 2022 squad will be the strongest and deepest team we have fielded during my tenure at UT, and we are excited for the upcoming season."
Lou Gilbert
Position/Class/Height: OF/Junior/5-7
Hometown: Kansas City, Mo.
Previous College: Baylor
High School: Staley H.S.
Gilbert started all 50 games for Baylor in 2021 on the way to earning NFCA All-Central Region Third Team and All-Big 12 Conference Second Team honors as a sophomore. During the 2021 campaign, she blended speed and power by hitting .327 overall with 20 extra-base hits and 13 bunt singles. Gilbert registered 15 of her 29 career multi-hit games last season, including a 4-for-4 performance at Iowa State (April 23) that saw her finish just a triple short of hitting for the cycle. During the COVID-19-shortened 2020 run, Gilbert tied for the team lead with 27 hits (three three-hit games) and started the year off by registering a hit in nine consecutive contests. During her initial campaign in Waco back in 2019, Gilbert started all 46 games, primarily in center, while batting .269 with 36 hits, three doubles, seven steals, 21 walks and 13 RBIs. She was also tabbed as a two-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll selection for her work in the classroom.
Listed as Extra Inning Softball's No. 23 national recruit out of Staley H.S. in Kansas City, Mo., Gilbert was a 2018 Premier Girls Fastpitch (PGF) All-American and a two-time Missouri Class 4A All-State selection. During her interscholastic career, she helped her squad to the 2015 Missouri Class 4 State Championship, batted .559 overall while setting Staley's career and single-season batting marks and established additional school career records for runs scored (168), singles (149), triples (12), stolen bases (91) and career on-base percentage (.607). Gilbert played club softball for the DeMarini Aces and head coach Ryan Taylor.
Isabella (Bella) Dayton
Position/Class/Height: OF/Redshirt Sophomore/5-6
Hometown: Wylie, Texas
Previous College: Arizona
High School: Wylie H.S.
A "Lone Star State" product out of Wylie, Texas, Dayton spent the past two seasons at the University of Arizona where she earned playing time in 64 games with 37 starts. During her career with the Wildcats, she batted at a .252 clip with 29 runs scored, five extra-base hits (including two HR's), 11 walks, 13 stolen bases and 10 RBIs. Dayton owns five career multi-hit efforts with two hits against Northern Iowa, Long Beach State, St. Joseph's and Oregon State as well as against Ole Miss in 2021 NCAA Regional action. During the COVID-19-abbreviated 2020 season, she started games in left field, right field and at the designated player position while hitting .302 overall. The speedster went a perfect 10-for-10 on stolen bases as a freshman in 2020, including three-for-three during a win over Long Beach State, to finish the year as one of four Pac-12 Conference players to steal 10-or-more bags without being thrown out. She also blasted her first career collegiate HR against Western Michigan (Feb. 8) and delivered the walk-off sacrifice fly to top UNI (Feb. 14).
Ranked as the No. 15 national recruit by Softball America and No. 26 by Extra Inning Softball, Dayton was a three-sport athlete (softball, basketball and track) at Wylie H.S. A three-time Texas Sports Writers Association (TXSWA) Collin Street Bakery First Team 6A All-State selection (2017, 2018, 2019), she was also a two-time Texas 6A District Offensive Player of the Year (2017, 2018) as well as a 2016 5A District Freshman of the Year. As a senior in 2019, Dayton hit a staggering .602 with 68 hits and 50 stolen bases while leading her Wylie H.S. squad to a league title and to the fifth round of the UIL State Playoffs for the first time in school history. Dayton was also an all-area basketball player and competed on the track by participating in regionals in both the 4x400 and 200m events. She played club softball for the So Cal Choppers and head coach Dean Fausett.