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King’s Academy has become one of Palm Beach County’s most consistent softball programs, and Gracyn Needle has been at the heart of it.
The junior standout was the Sun Sentinel’s 4A-1A player of the year in 2025, and she repeated in 2026 after improving in her fourth season with the varsity team.
The King’s Academy star spent the offseason working on her strength and skills, and the results showed on the field.
Needle was a gap-power hitter (15 doubles, four triples, six home runs) in 2025, but more of those extra-base hits carried over the fence this season. She had five doubles, three triples and 11 home runs. Needle increased her slugging percentage from 1.189 to 1.481, which was the second-highest in the state, according to MaxPreps.
“I know when I get to college, I’m playing with girls like three or four years older than me, so I want to be ready and prepared when I get there,” Needle said.
Needle’s stats are eye-popping up and down the list. She had 30 walks and just one strikeout. She set a career high with a .667 batting average. Her OPS was 2.251. Needle added 12 stolen bases, as well.
Needle had three multi-home run games this season. The final one came in the Lions’ last game of the year: a playoff loss to eventual Class 2A state champion Oxbridge Academy. King’s Academy had beaten Oxbridge two weeks earlier, claiming the district title, but the ThunderWolves got the better of the Lions in the playoffs.
“Winning districts this year was the big moment,” Needle said. “We’ve been fighting for that championship since my eighth-grade season at King’s. Coming (up) short, runner-up a couple times. So winning that and making program history there was the big moment for me and my team this year.”
Needle committed to Tennessee in September, but she has one more year before she heads up to Knoxville.
“As soon as I got on campus, everything just stood out about that program,” Needle said. “From my first camp to my visit, I just knew it felt like home. … The coaching staff, the culture that they have over there was just something that separated them from any other school. And just hearing from Karen Weekly how they see me impacting the program and how they develop players on and off the field is something that really stood out and made Tennessee feel like home for me.”
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The junior standout was the Sun Sentinel’s 4A-1A player of the year in 2025, and she repeated in 2026 after improving in her fourth season with the varsity team.
The King’s Academy star spent the offseason working on her strength and skills, and the results showed on the field.
Needle was a gap-power hitter (15 doubles, four triples, six home runs) in 2025, but more of those extra-base hits carried over the fence this season. She had five doubles, three triples and 11 home runs. Needle increased her slugging percentage from 1.189 to 1.481, which was the second-highest in the state, according to MaxPreps.
“I know when I get to college, I’m playing with girls like three or four years older than me, so I want to be ready and prepared when I get there,” Needle said.
Needle’s stats are eye-popping up and down the list. She had 30 walks and just one strikeout. She set a career high with a .667 batting average. Her OPS was 2.251. Needle added 12 stolen bases, as well.
Needle had three multi-home run games this season. The final one came in the Lions’ last game of the year: a playoff loss to eventual Class 2A state champion Oxbridge Academy. King’s Academy had beaten Oxbridge two weeks earlier, claiming the district title, but the ThunderWolves got the better of the Lions in the playoffs.
“Winning districts this year was the big moment,” Needle said. “We’ve been fighting for that championship since my eighth-grade season at King’s. Coming (up) short, runner-up a couple times. So winning that and making program history there was the big moment for me and my team this year.”
Needle committed to Tennessee in September, but she has one more year before she heads up to Knoxville.
“As soon as I got on campus, everything just stood out about that program,” Needle said. “From my first camp to my visit, I just knew it felt like home. … The coaching staff, the culture that they have over there was just something that separated them from any other school. And just hearing from Karen Weekly how they see me impacting the program and how they develop players on and off the field is something that really stood out and made Tennessee feel like home for me.”
Continue reading...
