Class of 2005

Carley Hughes Milinichik, was a multisport athlete at Apex High School. A 2005 graduate, she played volleyball, basketball, and softball during her career at Apex, but the softball diamond was the arena in which she truly left her mark. She was first team All-Conference as a junior and senior, but was also selected as the Conference Player of the Year in 2005. During her extraordinary senior MVP campaign, Carley led Apex to the conference championship, defeating longtime nemesis Fuquay-Varina, and then all the way to the Final Four in the state playoffs. Carley excelled as a defensive force behind the plate and at first base, but it was her prowess at the plate that brought fear to the opposing teams. Carley led Apex in virtually every major batting category, including average, runs batted in, and home runs.

Upon graduation, she signed with UNC-Wilmington and had a phenomenal four year run with the Seahawks, ending her career with virtually every slugging record possible. Carley ended her career as the single season record-holder in slugging percentage, home runs, total bases, hits, and RBIs. In addition, she ended up as the career leader in three of those categories, including a whopping 45 career home runs. For her feats on the diamond, Carley was voted as the CAA Conference Player of the Year in 2007 and was voted by the NCAA as the toughest batter to strike out in that same season with only 3 whiffs in 172 at bats.

For the excellence she achieved, Carley was selected as a member of the CAA Conference 25th Anniversary team. And in a final tribute to her abilities, she became the first softball player in UNC Wilmington history to be inducted into the Seahawk Hall of Fame.