FIU softball team building a Wisconsin pipeline starting with dynamic duo
FIU’s two most accomplished softball players are from the same hometown more than 1,500 miles away, and they have been playing together for two-thirds of their lives.
Center fielder Kally Meredith and third baseman Paige Miller, both 21-year-old juniors, met on a softball field in Kaukauna, Wisconsin when they were seven years old. They were so good that they led Kaukauna High to three straight state titles.
Meredith, who is 5-foot-5, committed to college first, choosing FIU. But for Miller, who is 5-11, things were more complicated. She was initially favoring Ohio State’s scholarship offer to play volleyball, but Miller eventually decided to stay home, choosing to play softball at Wisconsin.
However, Miller got just 13 at-bats in her one season with the Badgers. When Miller let it be known that she was transferring, Meredith said she “put a bug” in the ear of FIU coach Mike Larabee.
Soon after that, the life-long friends were reunited.
“It’s hard not to like your life in Miami compared to Wisconsin,” said Meredith, indicating that it wasn’t too tough to sell Miller on FIU.
Last year, in their first season as teammates at the collegiate level, both players made second-team All-Conference USA.
No other FIU player received all-league honors in 2025 as the Panthers finished 29-22-1 overall and 11-15-1 in Conference USA.
Due to the success of Meredith and Miller, FIU is now getting interest from other Wisconsin players.
In fact, Claire Pfrang, a Wisconsin outfielder, has committed to FIU for the Class of 2027.
Meredith said she has mentored Pfrang for years as they both played for the Bandits club team.
“It feels great that I’ve helped her,” Meredith said. “And it’s cool that more Midwest kids are getting opportunities like this.”
Larabee, who is not allowed (as per NCAA rules) to even mention unsigned players, said he’s thrilled to have Meredith and Miller on his squad.
“We’re building a pipeline from the Badger State,” Larabee said. “I think they want to get out of the cold weather.”
In the future, the Panthers would love to get another leadoff batter like Meredith, who in 2025 set FIU’s single-season record with 40 stolen bases, ranking seventh nationally.
Meredith, a Psychology major who made C-USA’s 2025 All-Academic team, also hit a team-best .352 with a .393 on-base percentage, and she was caught attempting to steal just three times.
“Oh man, Kally has always been a crazy player,” Miller said of Meredith, who led FIU with 38 runs scored. “She’s unafraid. She’s wired that way.
“I’m glad she’s on my side. I would hate to play against her.”
Meanwhile, Miller was second on the Panthers in batting average (.351), first in on-base percentage (.432) and second in steals (18-for-19).
Miller said she’s glad she came to FIU.
“My year at Wisconsin wasn’t great,” Miller said. “I felt overlooked. I didn’t love the campus. I just didn’t love a lot of things about my experience there.
“But then Kally was in my ear saying, ‘Hey, you can come to FIU if you want.’”
Miller said she considered returning to volleyball, a sport she still misses. But, ultimately, she chose softball and the Panthers.
“FIU was in the front of my mind through the entire (transfer) process,” said Miller, who is majoring in Marketing and International Business. “Kally was a significant part of that.
“Our relationship hasn’t changed that much. We’ve always had respect for each other, but it’s even more now.”
Meredith said loves having Miller around, and both players are thrilled that there are a couple of Culver’s fast-food restaurants – which are based in Wisconsin -- not too far away in Broward County.
“Playing college sports is a big jump from high school, and being far from home was scary at first,” Meredith said. “You have to figure yourself out and who you are away from home. It’s a cool process, and having Paige here is like having that piece of home but from far away.”
As for Culver’s …
“If you know anything about people from Wisconsin,” Meredith said, “we love our cheese curds.”