Tennessee softball has made its first splash in the transfer portal this cycle. On Monday, South Carolina infielder Karley Shelton announced her commitment to the Lady Vols following a visit to Knoxville.
Shelton is entering her senior season and will have one year of eligibility remaining. She brings a proven bat to Tennessee, as well, after having a strong junior year in 2026. In 60 appearances and starts, she hit at a .345 average with seven home runs. She also contributed 40 RBI, 33 runs, 16 doubles and a triple.
Shelton has been a contributor for all three of her years at South Carolina, as well. As a sophomore, she started in all 61 of her appearances while hitting at a .343 clip with four home runs. As a freshman, she played in 50 games and made 34 starts. She hit .200 that year with one homer.
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Shelton secured her role on the infield for the Gamecocks at second base. That’s the position that Emma Clarke held down at the end of last season, but Shelton and UT can be flexible positionally to get the best lineup possible. She has a steady glove, as well, with her .978 fielding percentage the best in South Carolina school history in the SEC era.
Shelton stands at 5-foot-5 and hits from the left side while throwing right-handed. She is from Lexington, South Carolina, where she played for Lexington High School. She’ll now be teaming up with former Gamecock teammate and First-Team All-American UT pitcher Sage Mardjetko, as well. The pair were both at South Carolina in 2024.
Tennessee has lost three players to the transfer portal so far, including a starting infielder. Ella Dodge, who played third base for the Lady Vols’ NCAA Tournament run, decided to depart earlier this week. She hit .275 during her redshirt-sophomore season in 2026. Backup outfielder Saviya Morgan and freshman pitcher Kailey Plumlee are the other two departures.
