By Sam Bernardi for The Montgomery News | Posted June 9, 2026
Cougars softball coach Bryan Upshaw could not have known quite the impact Ryane Riddell would have on his team.
Riddell transferred to Montgomery for her junior year, where she quickly established herself as a force on the soccer pitch, the basketball court, and, of course, the softball diamond.
Ryane Riddell
She had never pitched at a competitive level, but took it upon herself to carry the load for Montgomery from the circle, delivering 77 of the Cougars’ 95 innings during her debut 2025 while also crushing balls from the batter’s box.
Ryane Riddell at bat
It is no easy task to switch high schools halfway through. A natural competitor and athlete, Riddell found her haven with the varsity Cougars:
“It was just welcoming and it kind of became my outlet,” Riddell said. “Whatever happened in school, I knew I could at least go to practice and go to games and just be myself out there.”
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This latest step in her journey was going well until her sports career was derailed by a car accident last December. Riddell was riding in the passenger seat; the damage broke her collarbone and bent her right shoulder — her dominant shoulder — in at 120 degrees.
The initial doctor’s visit suggested surgery, which would jeopardize her final basketball season and softball. Riddell sought a second opinion, one that revealed the shoulder could heal without surgery.
“I decided not to ‘just’ do the physical therapy and work my butt off,” Riddell said. “I wanted to do it all naturally, knowing I wanted to get back to not just softball, but basketball, as well.”
Riddell did return for the end of basketball season.
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Coach Upshaw said, “She’s tough. Nothing was going to stop her. Even if she had one arm, she still was going to find a way to play. She’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached.”
She is off to Loyola-Maryland in fall, where she will “100%” play club ball. Regardless of when her softball career concludes — she will carry the lessons sports have taught her for the rest of her life.
“It taught me to bounce back ... to push through ... to be more mature. And, also, to become a leader,” Riddell said.
