Softball On SI

Former Arkansas Utility Player Transfers to McNeese State

Allison Smith|
May 25, 2025; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks huddle prior to taking on the Ole Miss Rebels in game three of the Fayetteville Super Regional at Bogle Park. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
May 25, 2025; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks huddle prior to taking on the Ole Miss Rebels in game three of the Fayetteville Super Regional at Bogle Park. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Former Arkansas Utility player Rylee Cloud is returning home to Louisiana to play for McNeese State after spending three years with the Razorbacks.

Cloud was used intermittently during her time at Arkansas as a pinch runner and hitter where she made 53 appearances and had 34 at bats.

Rylee Cloud (9) poses for Arkansas Softball media day.
Rylee Cloud (9) poses for Arkansas Softball media day. | Arkansas Athletics

However, perhaps for McNeese, Cloud will have more of an impact on the field and at the plate. For Fairview High School in Grant, La. Cloud was ranked No. 24 in the top 100 prospects in 2022. In her junior season of high school in 2021, Cloud's offensive numbers put her on the map as she hit .611 with 11 home runs and earned all-state and district MVP honors.

Cloud was named National High School Player of the Week in March of her junior high school season as she hit .895 (17-for-19) in six games with two doubles, a triple, eight home runs,16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.

McNeese will look for Cloud to bring the offense from her high school and travel ball days with the Birmingham Thunderbolts to their 2026 squad. McNeese is hoping to repeat as Southland Conference regular season champions and return to the NCAA postseason after losing to Southeastern Louisiana in the conference championship.

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Allison Smith
ALLISON SMITH

Allison Smith is an expert in leadership and organizational behavior in collegiate and professional women’s sports. Smith is a professor (Georgia State University), researcher, and writer. Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Kinesiology and Sport Studies. Smith’s research centers on combatting the underrepresentation of women leaders in sport, lack of organizational structure for work life integration for sport employees, and lack of programming and oversight for preparing athletes to transition to life after sport. Since graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism in 2011, Smith has sought opportunities to write about sports as a contributing writer focused on the growth of women’s collegiate, Olympic, and professional sports in this new age and movement for multiple outlets including Athletic Director U, and now Forbes.com. As a former Division I and II pitcher and Division III pitching coach Smith will bring unique insight and expertise to Softball on SI.

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