Gainesville, FL

This week's Alumni Spotlight is Jayelyn Carter who played Softball from 2020-2023. Carter played a total of four seasons with the Saints, as she played over the COVID-19 outbreak and was given more eligibility due to incomplete and shortened seasons.

Carter was a consistent and strong presence for the Saints. The centerfielder appeared in more games than any player in program history. She was a three-time All Mid-Florida Conference Second Team selection, finishing her career with 176 hits, 139 runs scored, and 64 stolen bases.

Carter made an immediate impact as a Freshman in 2020, batting .319 before the season was cut short. In 2021, she became a key piece of the Saints' lineup, leading the team in at-bats (150), runs (37), and stolen bases (14), with a .360 batting average.

Her breakout season came in 2022, when she led the team with 48 runs scored, and an on-base percentage of .490. These numbers earned her second All-Conference honor and national recognition as a NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete. Carter was just one of 11 individuals in the country to receive the NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete, an honor that showcases student-athletes who have high academic success and proven athletic performance.

In her final year, Carter appeared in 50 games, led the Saints again in runs (37) and steals (21), and got a hit in 18 of her last 19 games, with a 17 game hit streak.

Since then, Carter has continued to embody the spirit of a Saint. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Santa Fe College and is working in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UF Health Shands. Beyond her professional career, she is an active member in the community and her church; where she teaches, mentors, and volunteers with organizations such as SIRA, a crisis pregnancy center in Gainesville.

Carter has also traveled across the country for service and professional development. She recently attended the MedAdvance Conference hosted by the International Mission Board in Texas, where they will soon make a mission trip to North Carolina to serve families of children with disabilities.

Carter is still involved in the game of Softball, helping coach her younger sisters Santa Fe Raiders 12u team.