GREENVILLE – Ally Russell-Bowers, a 2015 graduate of Greenville Senior High School, has been inducted into the Greenville Athletic Hall of Fame, earning recognition for a decorated softball career and continued dedication to the Lady Wave program.
“Such a great honor,” said Russell-Bowers. “When I got the call, I was so excited and pretty surprised. It is a really great class this year as well as the rest of the folks that are in there. It’s the 40th year of the Hall of Fame, so again, just a great honor.”
Russell-Bowers made her mark on the softball diamond in just three seasons with Lady Wave Softball after returning from Oklahoma following her freshman year.
“Ally Russell—one of the best ever,” said veteran Lady Wave coach Jerrod Newland. “She only played three years here when she came back from Oklahoma. I remember when she was a little 10-year-old who left here and I was so sad, but she returned, and her father Bill drove 90 minutes each way to work so she could play Lady Wave softball.”
During her three-year career at Greenville, Russell-Bowers earned All-State honors three times and was named a High School All-American twice. She still holds Lady Wave program records with 74 career wins, 611 strikeouts, and a 1.03 earned run average.
“I had a lot of teammates and coaches and my family that helped me along the way to get to where I got, which was really amazing,” she said. “Dad spent hours and hours on the bucket, and my mom spent hours driving me to tournaments and games and practices and everything else, so it’s a full team effort.”
Russell-Bowers was named First Team GWOC from 2013-2015 and GWOC North Player of the Year in 2015. She earned Division II First Team All-Ohio honors each year from 2013-2015 and was selected as a Second Team All-American in 2013 and 2015. She helped lead Greenville to Division II regional finals appearances in 2013 and 2015.
Following graduation, Russell-Bowers continued her softball career at Wright State University, where she earned Horizon League Athlete of the Week honors twice in 2016. A Wright State graduate, she now serves as a Corporate Recruiting Supervisor at Kimball Midwest and lives in Troy with her husband, Sam, and their children, Boston (2) and Baylor (five months).
In addition to her professional career, Russell-Bowers has spent years giving pitching lessons to young athletes and joined the Greenville Lady Wave softball coaching staff in 2025 under Hall of Fame coach Jerrod Newland.
“It’s been so fun to give back and to coach—just share the knowledge,” she said. “I love the game so much that it’s fun to see others enjoy it as much as I do.”
“Solid kid, amazing family, and now back as a coach—complete circle for sure,” Newland added.
Russell-Bowers encourages young students to become involved in school athletics.
“Any sport you can play is great to do,” she said. “It’s just so fun finding the game you love and continuing to play it, because it’s over before you know it.”
