Today we profile a SoCal girls who’s headed to a Pac-12 program and if her face looks familiar it’s because last Saturday we profiled her 2009 team that won the ASA 10U National Championship!  We also look at a Calif. pitcher who’s started off the season with two no-hitters and a perfect game and learn more about a Midwest player who has pulled the trigger on her college choice.  We next look at two major college polls that rank the Top 25 and each has someone different on top…

 

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PLAYER PROFILE: MONTANA DIXON

Grad Year: 2016
Pos: catcher/3B/1B
High School: Lakewood (Calif.)
GPA: 4.2
Club: So Cal Athletics-Richardson
Honors: 1st Team All-League and Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman                                         
College: Stanford

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: Last weekend we profiled the 2009 Victory USA team you were on that won the ASA 10U Nationals… what do you remember most about that team?  Link: http://www.studentsports.com/softball/2014/03/15/now-2009-asa-champs/
Montana Dixon: I remember all of the hard work and dedication that we put into our practices and games.

 

SSS.com: Was there one memory that comes to mind first?
MD: It’s have to be winning the National Championship game!

 

SSS.com: Now you’re with the SoCal A’s, the winningest club team in the country over the past five years.  From what you’ve seen and being a part of it, what is it that makes this team win year after year?
MD: The team has great chemistry and everyone is one big family! I love the way the upper classmen mentor the up and coming players.

 

SSS.com: You’re going to Stanford, which must make your parents extremely happy!  Tell us how you were first seen by the coaches and became aware they were recruiting you?
MD: I was aware that they were watching me in last year’s Colorado tournament.  They contacted Coach Bruce regarding my grades.  That’s when I knew they were interested in me.

 

SSS.com: Walk us through the recruiting process… did you know they were at games or events watching you?  
MD: I knew they were watching me during the Fall season while playing for the So Cal Athletics.

 

When did they official offer and how did they tell you?
MD: During this past fall season I took an unofficial visit in December.  I was thrilled when we discussed an offer before I left campus.

 

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
MD: I took a second unofficial visit and committed on March 6 under the Pac-12 flag poles.  I wanted a well-rounded school both academically as well as athletically.  After seriously considering my other offers I knew my heart was set on Stanford. I felt extremely comfortable with the coaching and training staff.

 

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches (in person, on the phone, on an unofficial visit)?
MD: I told them in person that I wanted to be in Cardinal red.  Then I started crying…

 

SSS.com: What position do they like you at, have you discussed that?
MD: Catcher as well as third base.

 

SSS.com:  What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
MD: My strengths are work ethic and leadership skills.  One attribute people talk most about is the way I carry myself both on and off the field.

 

SSS.com: What is the best thing about softball in your opinion?
MD: In my opinion the best thing about softball is the relationships that I have built with coaches and players.  The softball field allows me to express myself and it’s a place where I can take my mind off everything else.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to major in?
Sports Medicine.

Fill in the blank… When I’m on the softball field______________
I want to be the best player I can be.

If you could be President of the United States for one day, what would be the main issue you’d try to fix?
I would want there to be equality among ALL people.

Favorite holiday (and why):
Christmas because I get to spend time with my whole family.

Favorite subject in school:
Chemistry.

Least favorite trait in someone:
Being judgmental.

If you were handed $5,000 cash, what would you do with it?
I would put most of it in the bank and have some fun with the rest.

What type of bat do you use (and do you like it)?
Easton Mako.

What’s your favorite type of movie (comedy, romantic, drama, adventure, horror) and why?
Comedy, because I love to laugh.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
Off the field I’m a major klutz.

Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?
I wear two bracelets on my right arm all the time.  I also listen to the same play list before every game.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
My iPod because I can’t live without my music.

What’s your No. 1 goal for 2014?
I want to be exceptional both athletically and academically.

What’s your favorite phrase or motto you live by? 
Work hard and respect the game!

 

 

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RECRUITING SPOTLIGHT OF THE DAY: MARINA VITALICH

High school: Mary Star of the Sea
City: San Pedro
State: 
Calif.
Grad year: 2015
Club: Firecrackers-Clarke
Position(s): P/1B
Height: 5-6
Stats (2014):  Three straight no-hitters including one perfect game to open the season

College: George Mason

What is your favorite bat: “Xeno by Louisville Slugger.  It has lots of pop.”
What bat does your team use? “Xeno by LS.  Most of my team has Louisville. LS is the new sponsor for the Firecrackers.”
What is your favorite brand of cleats? 
Mizuno and Reebok
What is the uniform brand you prefer? Gluv

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Bailey Martin, a 2015 infielder at Maroa-Forsyth (Ill.), has verbally committed to Indiana State University in Terre Haute.

Martin is a second baseman, outfielder and as a sophomore earned 1st Team All-County, First Team All-Okaw Conference and 3rd Team All-State Illinois Coaches Association.

Playing for Premier Fastpitch based in Mattoon, Ill., Martin is a left-handed speedster coached by Kristi and Dan Paulson during the travel ball season.

At the high school level, she hit .507 last season for the Lady Trojans.

 

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COLLEGE NEWS: TOP 25 TEAMS

*** A two-game sweep of conference foe and then-No. 8 Arizona coupled with a Florida (28-2, 4-2 SEC) loss was enough to propel UCLA (25-1, 2-0 Pac-12) to its first No. 1 overall ranking in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll since Week One of the 2011 season the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced today. UCLA received 11 first-place votes this week with the Gators nabbing eight and Tennessee one.

Click here to see the complete ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll

The Bruins extended their winning streak to eight games over the weekend as they defeated Arizona 1-0 on Saturday and 8-4 on Sunday to open Pac-12 play at 2-0. The series victory boosted UCLA up two spots in the poll from a No. 3 ranking last week.

Falling out of the top spot for the first time since the start of the regular season, the Florida Gators went 4-1 on the week with their sole loss coming on Saturday to then-No. 25 LSU by a 2-3 decision. The Gators began the week with back-to-back wins over Mercer, 8-0 (five innings) and 1-0, on Wednesday. The reigning Southeastern Conference (SEC) champions began conference play at LSU over the weekend and despite the loss on Saturday, they managed to take the series with a 7-6 (eight inning) win on Friday and a 10-2 (five inning) run rule on Sunday.

Following a midweek 15-0 (five inning) win over Western Carolina, Tennessee (24-3, 2-1 SEC) also began conference play this week when they traveled to Fayetteville, Ark. to take on the Razorbacks. The Lady Vols took the series 2-1 with a 9-2 win on Friday and 8-0 (six inning) victory on Sunday but a 4-5 Saturday loss was enough to drop Tennessee down from one spot to No. 3 in this weeks poll.

Oregon (23-3) held steady at No. 4 this week following a 5-1 performance at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Ducks defeated BYU 3-2, Valparaiso 5-1, James Madison 1-0, Hawaii 12-4 (six innings) and 3-0 but fell 0-3 in Saturday’s tournament championships, a rematch with James Madison. Oregon will next travel to Salt Lake City, Utah to open Pac-12 play with a three-game series versus Utah.

Moving up two spots to rejoin the Top Five after a week hiatus is No. 5 Michigan (19-6). The Wolverines competed in the Class Act Federal Credit Union Classic in Louisville, Ky. over the weekend and finished with a 3-0 record. Back-to-back run rules on Saturday included a 12-4 (six inning) win over Kent State and a 9-1 (six inning) victory over Louisville. Michigan kept the streak alive by defeating Iowa State 6-4 on Sunday before inclement weather cancelled a schedule rematch with Louisville that was to be played later in the day.

Rounding out the Top 10: Washington (20-5, 1-1 Pac-12) holds tight at No. 6 despite a 1-1 series split with conference opponent Utah; No. 7 Alabama (24-4, 6-0 SEC) jumped two positions following a 4-0 week that included a conference series sweep at Ole Miss; No. 8 Arizona State (27-5, 1-2 Pac-12) dropped out of the Top Five this week following a 1-2 performance at Oregon State to open conference play; falling one spot to No. 9, Arizona (23-5, 0-2 Pac-12) suffered two losses to UCLA in their Pac-12 opener this week; rejoining the Top Ten this week, Kentucky (21-4, 4-2 SEC) comes in at No. 10 following a 4-1 week that included 3-2 and 8-7 (eight inning) wins over then-No. 18 Missouri.

Rejoining the poll this week is South Florida (25-8), who went 7-1 this week behind their ace pitcher Sara Nevins (Pineallas Park, Fla.). Dropping out of the poll is last week’s No. 25 LSU (18-10, 2-4 SEC), who suffered two losses against then-No. 1 Florida.

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25

2014 Season – Week 6 – March 18, 2014

Rank	Team	Record	Points	Previous Ranking
1.	UCLA (11)	26-1	487	3
2.	Florida (8)	28-2	486	1
3.	Tennessee (1)	24-3	454	2
4.	Oregon	23-3	427	4
5.	Michigan	19-6	397	7
6.	Washington	20-5	385	6
7.	Alabama	24-4	382	9
8.	Arizona State	27-5	356	5
9.	Arizona	23-6	352	8
10.	Kentucky	21-4	323	11
11.	Florida State	25-4	316	10
12.	Baylor	22-4	305	12
13.	South Alabama	22-3	233	16
14.	Georgia	25-2	227	17
15.	Nebraska	18-8	215	14
16.	Oklahoma	18-8	173	13
17.	Tulsa	24-3	171	20
18.	Texas A&M	21-7	162	15
19.	Minnesota	21-3	148	21
20.	Missouri	16-7	132	18
21.	Auburn	24-4-1	101	23
22.	Louisiana – Lafayette	17-6-1	83	24
23.	Stanford	23-8	61	19
24.	Notre Dame	19-7	28	22
25.	South Florida	25-8	21	RV

 

Parenthesis denotes first place votes.

Dropped Out: LSU (25)
New to Poll: South Florida (RV)

Others receiving votes: LSU (20), Northwestern (16), Lipscomb (10), North Carolina State (8), USC Upstate (8), James Madison (4), Hofstra (4), California (3), San Diego State (2)

 

*** Make it five consecutive weeks at No. 1 for Florida (28-2) in the USA Today/NFCA Division I softball poll as the Gators received 23 of 32 possible first-place votes to retain the top spot.

UF utilized a mid-week doubleheader sweep of Mercer (W 8-0 in 5 inn., W 1-0) and a Southeastern Conference series victory on the road at LSU (W 7-6 in 8 inn., L 2-3, W 10-2 in 5 inn.) to maintain its position in the March 18th listing and lead second-rated UCLA (26-1) by 22 total points. The Bruins secured the opening two games of its high-profile series against then-No. 6 Arizona (W 1-0, W 8-4), and later finished off the series sweep with a 2-0 win on Monday, to climb a single spot to a season-best rating at No. 2.

After five straight victories at the Pepsi Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawai’i, a 3-0 loss to unranked James Madison during the event’s title game proved enough to drop Oregon (23-3) from second to third in the latest rankings.

The remainder of the top five stayed the same with Tennessee (24-3) and Washington (20-5) holding down spots four and five, respectively. The Lady Vols blew past Western Carolina (W 15-0 in 5 inn.) and took two of three match-ups at Arkansas (W 9-2, L 4-5, W 8-0 in 6 inn.), while the Huskies split a pair of league contests against Utah (W 5-2, L 2-3) before having their series finale against the Utes cancelled by weather.

An unbeaten weekend at the Class Act Federal Credit Union Classic in Louisville, Ky., helped Michigan (19-6) jump from eighth to No. 6 this week. The pair of close defeats at UCLA didn’t cost Arizona (23-6) much in the way of poll position as the Wildcats moved down just a single slot to seventh.

No. 8 Kentucky (21-4), No. 9 Alabama (24-4) and No. 10 Florida State (25-4) each rose one spot in rounding out the latest top 10. The Wildcats topped Marshall (W 6-2) and rebounded from an opening defeat to secure their series at then-No. 16 Missouri (L 2-7, W 3-2, W 8-7 in 8 inn.). The Crimson Tide routed Mississippi Valley State (W 12-0 in 5 inn.) and rolled to a league-leading 6-0 in the SEC via a three-game sweep at Ole Miss (W 10-2, W 7-0, W 9-2). Meanwhile, the Seminoles split a pair of match-ups against Virginia Tech (W 12-0 in 5 inn., L 4-5), won at Florida Gulf Coast (W 5-0) and swept defending Atlantic Coast Conference tournament champion N.C. State (W 4-1, W 4-2, W 5-2) during a hard-fought series in Tallahassee, Fla.

There were no exits from this week’s poll as James Madison, LSU, USF, Hofstra, USC Upstate, Lipscomb, Arkansas, DePaul, Virginia Tech and Long Beach State remain among the list of “others receiving votes.”

The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each conference. Current 2014 records are shown, first-place votes are in parentheses.

USA Today/NFCA Division I Softball Poll – Week 6 – March 18, 2014

Rank	Team	2014 Record	Totals	Last Poll Rank
1	Florida (23)	28-2	791	1
2	UCLA (9)	26-1	769	3
3	Oregon	23-3	735	2
4	Tennessee	24-3	709	4
5	Washington	20-5	625	5
6	Michigan	19-6	615	8
7	Arizona	23-6	588	6
8	Kentucky	21-4	577	9
9	Alabama	24-4	536	10
10	Florida State	25-4	512	11
11	Arizona State	27-5	498	7
12	Baylor	22-4	481	12
13	South Alabama	22-3	427	14
14	Georgia	25-2	381	15
15	Texas A&M	21-7	313	13
16	Minnesota	21-3	295	18
17	Nebraska	18-8	276	17
18	Missouri	16-7	269	16
19	Tulsa	24-3	249	20
20	Louisiana Lafayette	17-6-1	185	23
21	Auburn	24-4-1	140	24
22	Oklahoma	18-8	133	19
23	Northwestern	15-5	73	25
24	Stanford	23-8	61	21
25	Notre Dame	19-7	35	22

 

Dropped Out:  None

Others Receiving Votes:  James Madison (24), LSU (22), USF (20), Hofstra (18), USC Upstate (12), Lipscomb (11), Arkansas (9), DePaul (5), Virginia Tech (4), Long Beach State (2).

 

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Players, parents and coaches:  want to know the best way to get us info on your favorite player?  Fill out our Recruit Form link and complete.  It comes directly to me (Brentt) and you very likely could see the info used somewhere on our site!

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