It was a special moment in Downtown Denison, as former Grayson College standout pitcher Dylann Kaderka was inducted into the Grayson College Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 8.

A record setting pitcher from Keller High School in Keller, TX, Kaderka led her team to two state championships and three state tournament appearances. During her prep career, she compiled an 81-10 record with 331 strikeouts, setting a program record for wins. A three time District Pitcher of the Year and three time Star-Telegram Player of the Year, she was one of the most decorated high school pitchers in Texas during her career. 

Kaderka nearly walked away from the game entirely after her sophomore year of high school, but all of that changed in her senior year after losing in the state tournament. She recalled the memory of that day, and the emotions that came knowing that moment was going to be the last time she would ever wear a softball uniform. 

"In that moment, standing on the field talking to my dad, I said five words I will never forget… We need to call {Mike} McBrayer" she said with a laugh. "One week later, I was walking on the campus of Grayson College and it just felt like home. Signing those papers wasn't just about continuing to play softball, it was about finding a place where I belonged with coaches who believed in me and a place that changed my life forever."

At Grayson College, Kaderka brought the same level of dominance.. In two seasons for the Vikings, she appeared in 61 games, posting a 39-9 record with 286 strikeouts and a 2.73 ERA in 297.2 innings. 

"Coach {Mike} McBrayer, Coach {Jason} Miller and Coach {Ashley} Mills saw something in me that I didn't always see in myself," Kaderka said. "They challenged me, pushed me and gave me opportunities that shaped not just my career, but made me into the person I am today. Grayson College was my second home, and I never once felt homesick because I was surrounded by people who made me feel like I belonged."

During the 2020-21 season, she led the NJCAA in wins with 31 and ranked among the top pitchers in the nation in strikeouts, innings pitched and games started. Her 212 strikeouts that year set a new Grayson College single-season record, and her dominance in the circle guided the Vikings to their first-ever NJCAA Softball World Series appearance, where they finished as the national runner-up.

That season, she was named the NJCAA Pitcher of the Year, earning First Team All-American honors from both the NJCAA and NFCA, as well as NFCA All-Region, NTJCAC Pitcher of the Year and Most Outstanding Pitcher at the NJCAA Softball World Series. Kaderka was also recognized as NTJCAC Pitcher of the Week eight times and once as NJCAA National Pitcher of the Week, cementing one of the most decorated single seasons in program history.

"When COVID ended our season in 2020, it was devastating. But instead of letting it break us, we used it as fuel," she said. "When I look back on my time at Grayson, it wasn't the awards or recognition that defined my time at Grayson. It was the friendships I made. The teammates that turned into sisters that I still talk to daily and the countless memories we created together."

Following her historic career at Grayson, Kaderka continued her success at Texas Wesleyan University, where she quickly became a key part of the Rams' pitching staff. In her junior season, she earned First Team All-Conference honors after making 28 appearances, including 22 starts, finishing with a 13-9 record, a 3.60 ERA and 115 strikeouts.

Kaderka graduated from Texas Wesleyan in 2023 with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. She is in her first year as an English teacher and assistant varsity softball coach at her alma mater Keller High School. Kaderka and her fiancee, Lewis McGregor, reside in Keller, and she is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Abilene Christian University.