Wow, what an incredible day.  The site has hit record-levels of traffic due to the story posted this morning about Reggie Harrison and the passing of her father last weekend… we’ll touch on that as well as profile Pennsylvania catcher who’s staying in the Northeast to play at the next level and a Texas girl who also is staying home to play Big 12 ball. We have the top 50 preseason softball teams by MaxPreps and also look at the college Players of the Week.

 

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TRAGEDY AT ARKANSAS: REGGIE HARRISON’S FATHER PASSES AWAY

It’s always tough when a young person loses a parent, but it was devastating to learn this week that Arkansas freshman Reggie Harrison’s father, Steve, suffered a fatal heart attack last weekend just a few years after Reggie’s mother passed away from cancer.

An only child, your heart goes out to Reggie but as Jen Schroeder wrote in the article posted this morning, Reggie is a special person important to all around her and has a great support system not just at Arkansas with her teammates, but really within the entire softball community.

A huge thanks to Jen for allowing us the privilege of promoting the cause to help raise awareness of Reggie’s situation and we extend gratitude to a wide variety of people including greats in the spot like Caitlin Lowe and Jenni Finch, who linked to our article as did John Cookson of HeyBucket.com who noted, “Steve was a member of Heybucket since day one.”

Even the Univ. of Arkansas staff forwarded the piece to players, from what we were told by Jen (her sister, Nicole, plays on the Razorbacks’ team and is good friends with Reggie).

Most importantly, I want to thank you, the softball community, for your unbelievable support. Jen told us that several thousand dollars were raised since this morning and hopefully the support, both financial and emotional, will continue.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Reggie at this time too…

Finally on the subject, here’s a nice note that came in today:

***

Reggie:

I am so very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of need. It’s never easy to be with out your family, but Jen couldn’t of said it better. You now have two angels that will never miss another softball game or any other event in your life. I hope you find comfort in knowing you have the love and support of your team, friends and family to help you get through. I wish you thoughts and prayers, strength and comfort, and lots of luck to continue your journey as a Razorback.

Xoxoxo,
Danielle

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PLAYER PROFILE: MICHALA MACIOLEK

Grad Year: 2017

Pos: catcher
High School: The Agnes Irwin School (Bryn Mawr, Pa.)
Club: New Jersey Nightmare Gold
College: Syracuse University

  

***

StudentSportsSoftball.com: Walk us through the process of being seen by the Syracuse coaches and how those early interactions went with them…
Michala Maciolek: There were many different parts to the process: emailing the coaches to express my interest in their program, communications between SU and my Jersey Nightmare coaches and one of my teammates (who had already committed to Syracuse), the opportunity for the coaches to see me play during the tournament season and my participation in their clinic.  It’s really been exciting from the very beginning!

 

SSS.com: How and when did you find out they were offering you?
MM: It all happened at the same time.  My Mom picked me up from school and told me that I was to call Coach (Leigh) Ross from Syracuse.  And when I did, Coach Ross made me the offer.

 

SSS.com: What was that like, knowing that you had the real opportunity to play college softball?
MM: It was a dream come true.  It was something that I had dreamt about, and thought about, for a long time.

 

SSS.com: So when did ‘Cuse offer and then when did you decide to commit?
MM: As soon as they made the offer to me, I accepted it because I knew that it was where I wanted to go.

 

SSS.com: Being only a freshman, were you nervous in committing this young?
MM: No.  I knew where I wanted to play softball and get my college education.  I felt confident in my decision from the start and I still am.

 

SSS.com:  When it came down to it, what led into the decision to pick the Orange and why now?
MM: I really like the focus on academics, the quality of the softball program, coaching staff, and facilities and the overall atmosphere of Syracuse University.

 

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone or on an unofficial visit?
MM: On the phone.

 

SSS.com: Describe your emotions around telling them… nervous? excited?
MM: Well, of course, I was very nervous, but at the same time I was excited and speechless, because all of my hard work has finally paid off. I almost just couldn’t believe it was happening.

 

SSS.com: How far away from home will be?  Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
MM: A four hour drive.

 

SSS.com:  What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
MM: I’m dedicated to being the best I can be and am hard working.  A lot of people also say I have a strong arm and good mechanics behind and at the plate.

 

SSS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
MM: Most recently, when I hit a home run in the Team NJ College Showcase in the fall.  In terms of being a catcher, I don’t have a single top memory; instead, I have memories of different great plays, like diving for foul balls at the backstop, making great blocks, and throwing people out. These memories come together to make one great memory about catching.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to do when you’re done playing softball (career)? 
I want to be a successful businesswoman and to give back to the community that has helped me so much. I definitely want to share my knowledge of the game with younger kids.

Fill in the blank… the best part of playing softball is: ______________
… working so hard off the field and having it pay off on the field.

What do you do in the winter/off-season to stay in softball shape/keep your skills sharp? 
Play basketball, and practice softball every day.

Favorite movie ever: 
A League of Their Own.

Least favorite thing in life: 
People who bully.

What’s your dream vacation?
To visit the National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Okla.

What type of bat do you use (and do you like it)? 
Demarini CF6 and I love it!

When you have obstacles in your life, what helps you overcome them?
Knowing that I always have my parents and family to support me.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I like to cook.

Describe you in one word:
Determined.

If you were going to the moon for six months, what object would be a must-take (besides a phone)?
A good book.

If you could compare yourself to anyone in the world, who would it be?
I don’t really compare myself to anyone; I like to be unique.

Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most? 
Malala Yousafzai (the Pakistani schoolgirl who stood up to the Taliban and defended her right to get an education).

 

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RECRUIT SPOTLIGHT OF THE DAY: MADDISON KETTLER

High school: West High
City: West
State: 
Texas
Grad year: 2016
Club: Texas Glory – Shelton
Position(s): outfield/shortstop
Height: 5-3

 

Stats & Honors:  (2013, freshman year in high school): hit .570 with 32 runs scored, 13 RBI, 27 steals, .619 on-base percentage, .779 slugging percentage

 

College: Baylor
Other Offers: Georgia, Ole Miss, Indiana
Why Baylor: “It’s one of the top private schools in the country and has great coaches, an awesome school spirit and facilities and I’ll be close to home and my family.”

 

What is your favorite bat: “DeMarini CF6.  It has great control for a slapper and great power.”
What bat does your team use? DeMarini CF6
What is your favorite brand of cleats? 
Mizuno
What is the uniform brand you prefer? Intensity

 

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: FINAL WORD ON MAXPREPS ALL-AMERICANS

We continue to get feedback, pro and con, about the list that MaxPreps.com has highlighting their 2014 Preseason All-American team.

Here’s one last e-mail we’ll run…

***

In my opinion (and mine only), all the girls that play and give their heart and soul and time for the love of the game on all teams and all positions deserve to be recognized.

At the end of the day a list is a list and all these girls I feel have the most respect for one another on and off the field (and maybe I am wrong), but when you see all these girls who play from different teams and positions and from all over come together at different times and place they all know each other and hang out in some way or another—even if it just a simple ‘Hello.’

At the end of the day it’s any team’s ball game win or lose depending on the day and the game play that day but off the field you see the amount of respect they have for each other by the way they act as they all have wonderful sportsmanship.

So, to me, everyone honored on this list is well deserved and should be acknowledged.

— a softball Mom

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Casey Gerhard, a 2015 catcher/first baseman who plays for Florida Storm Gold, has committed to Virginia Tech according to her father, Glenn.

She had been initially set for Florida State but her father let us know in January that had changed and she would be “accepting an offer soon.”

 

*** Savanna Bonola, a 2017 shortstop/third baseman with the Texas Blaze-Bonola team, has committed to Tennessee.

Savanna has a 4.0 GPA and has taken four AP classes at Steele High in Cibolo, Texas, so her academics are strong.

She hits from the left with 2.7 speed to first. She attended the OnDeck Colorado National Jamboree last summer

 

 

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MAXPREPS HIGH SCHOOL RANKINGS:

*** Speaking of MaxPreps.com (which I personally like, by the way), here’s the top 50 of their 2014 Preseason Xcellent 100 Softball Rankings (good bio info so check out the site):

No. 1 (No. 33 in final 2013 poll) Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.), 27-6
2. (8) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 34-1

3. (61) Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), 24-3
4. (3) Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.), 44-0
5. (46) Deer Park (Texas), 37-5
6. (70) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 27-1
7. (4) Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 34-0
8. (34) Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.), 33-5
9. (NR) Mountain Ridge (Glendale, Ariz.), 31-4
10. (1) Northern (Owings, Md.), 23-0
11. (95) Basha (Chandler, Ariz.), 26-6
12. (76) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 26-2
13. (79) Pelham (Ala.), 45-6
14. (39) St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 22-5
15. (65) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 26-2
16. (18) Estrella Foothills (Goodyear, Ariz.), 33-2
17. (5) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 32-1
18. (97) Bradford (Starke, Fla.), 28-3
19. (47) Bloom-Carroll (Carroll, Ohio), 30-3
20. (43) The Woodlands (Texas), 29-9
21. (24) St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 29-2
22. (10) Olathe East (Kan.), 24-1
23. (NR) Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 29-6
24. (28) Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 31-2
25. (92) Lewisville (Texas), 31-13
26. (81) Smyrna (Tenn.), 40-10
27. (41) Sierra (Manteca, Calif.), 25-2
28. (63) Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 36-7
29. (NR) P.K. Yonge (Gainesville, Fla.), 25-3
30. (66) Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 31-6
31. (62) Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.), 24-1
32. (84) North Little Rock (Ark.), 29-6
33. (NR) Norco (Calif.), 27-8
34. (17) North Medford (Ore.), 29-2
35. (NR) King (Riverside, Calif.), 24-7
36. (43) La Grange (Texas), 38-4
37. (20) Vintage (Napa, Calif.), 34-1
38. (7) Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.), 30-1
39. (58) Yorba Linda (Calif.), 24-4
40. (16) Coral Reef (Miami), 26-2
41. (14) Las Cruces (N.M.), 30-1
42. (NR) Marina (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 32-8
43. (NR) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 23-5
44. (21) Centennial (Las Vegas), 36-6
45. (11) Chino (Calif.), 26-2
46. (67) Niceville (Fla.), 26-2
47. (55) Piedra Vista (Farmington, N.M.), 26-5
48. (NR) Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), 33-4
49. (44) Pearland (Texas), 36-4
50. (NR) Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.), 24-4

 

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COLLEGE NEWS: PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

*** UCLA Junior Ally Carda tabbed with USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week honors

UCLA Bruins improved their perfect record to 16-0 over the weekend due largely in part to pitcher Ally Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.). The Junior pitched the Bruins to four wins in the circle, including three against ranked opponents, and also hit .429 at the plate with four runs batted in and five runs scored. For her efforts, Carda has been named the USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced today.

“I’m very excited to earn this National Player of the Week honor,”  said Carda. “I’ve been working really hard to improve all aspects of my game. Last year, we didn’t end the season the way we wanted to, so I took a lot of pride in working out over the summer and trying to get better in whatever way possible, whether it was pitching, hitting or getting faster and stronger. My teammates have had my back all season and it’s been pretty fun to just go out there and play. Everyone on this team is on the same page to get better on our mission to get to the top.”

Carda was 4-0 on the week with a 0.67 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 21 total innings in the circle for the Bruins who competed at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. On Friday, facing the defending NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS) Champions and 13^th ranked Oklahoma Sooners, Carda struck out 10 batters and allowed just two unearned runs in a 3-2 UCLA win.

The Junior won twice on Saturday, tossing three innings of shutout relief versus then-No. 16 Missouri in a UCLA 4-3 win. She struck out five batters and allowed only one hit and one walk in the contest. Carda helped her own efforts as she went 2-for-3 from the plate with an RBI.   Later in the evening, Ally recorded her second win of the day when she struck out five batters in five innings of a 10-5 UCLA victory over Maryland. From the plate Carda went 2-for-4, scored two runs and batted in a third.

Carda’s efforts on Sunday were just as impressive as she earned her fourth win of the week, this a 6-2 decision over then-No. 12 Nebraska. The right hander allowed two runs on four hits in the game but struck out seven Husker batters while going 1-for-2 from the plate with one run scored.   In their final game of the event, UCLA faced an unranked New Mexico team late Sunday and Carda did her damage on the offensive side. She went 1-for-1 with two runs scored and batted in two additional runs as UCLA cruised to a 13-0, five inning run rule of the Lobos.

“Ally played with savvy this weekend, getting out of some big situations, and that’s what champions do,” UCLA head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “And Ally is getting even stronger, so the best is yet to come. Ally came in to this UCLA softball program to carry on the long tradition in the circle. She’s more than just a pitcher though. She also has the ability to impact the lineup at the plate as a very powerful leadoff hitter. Ally exemplifies what it means to be a Bruin. She is a very powerful leader and an outstanding teammate. She exudes confidence and the team is able to keep that calm confidence behind her.”

Carda finished the week with 27 total strike outs in 21 innings of work. She allowed just two earned runs and six walks on her way to a .067 ERA. From the plate, Carda finished 6-for-14 for a .429 average, scored five runs, plated four RBI and finished with a .550 on-base percentage. She successfully stole four bases on five attempts.

This is the first USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week honor for a UCLA Bruin since B.B. Bates earned the award in Week 2 of the 2013 season. The Bruins return to action this weekend, Feb. 28 – March 2, at the Long Beach Louisville Slugger Invitational in Lakewood, Calif.

2014 USA Softball National Collegiate Players of the Week
Week 1 (Feb. 6-9): Kylee Lahners – Washington – Junior – Infielder– Laguna Hills, Calif.

Week 2 (Feb. 10 -16): Aimee Creger – Tulsa – Senior – Pitcher– Yukon, Okla.
Week 3 (Feb. 17-23): Ally Carda – UCLA – Junior – Pitcher – Elk Grove, Calif.

 

*** UCLA’s Carda & USC Upstate’s Miller Share Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Co-National Player of the Week Accolades


A week chocked full of impressive performances throughout Division I softball made an always difficult job even tougher as the decision was made to honor both UCLA’s Ally Carda and USC Upstate’s Anna Miller as Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Co-National Players of the Week.

Carda, the Pacific-12 Conference Pitcher of the Week, led the nationally ranked Bruins from both the circle and the plate over the weekend at the prestigious Mary Nutter Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. The junior pitcher/utility player batted .429 (6-of-14) with four stolen bases, four RBIs and hit safely in four of five match-ups, while also posting a perfect 4-0 pitching mark with a 0.67 ERA and 27 strikeouts over 21 innings of work while limiting the opposition to a miniscule .197 batting average. Included in her efforts from the circle were victories over then-No. 18 Oklahoma (7 IP, 0 ER, 10 K), then-No. 16 Missouri (3 IP, 0 ER, 5 K), Maryland (5 IP, 0 ER, 5 K) and then-No. 11 Nebraska (6 IP, 2 ER, 7 K) as UCLA went a perfect 5-0 for the week.

“I’m very honored to earn this National Player of the Week award,” Carda said. “After having a great tournament in Palm Springs last year, it was great to be able to come out here and prove we could do it again. This game can get pretty big, but as a team if we stick together we can get the job done. We are off to a great start to the season, and that gives everyone a lot of confidence. We’ve had a few comeback wins and also had a few where we have gotten ahead early and kept the lead. It just shows that whatever is thrown at us that we can manage it and take care of it.”

“Ally came into the 2014 season very determined and disciplined,” UCLA head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “She has worked harder than everyone, especially with her workouts during the summer and fall, and I’m so proud that the game is paying her back. This team’s expectations are high, but the most important part is that their standard at practice and work ethic is preparing them to meet those expectations.”

The reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Week, senior hurler Miller made program history by becoming the first Spartan pitcher to ever throw consecutive no-hitters with blankings of Gardner-Webb and Liberty. The Portland, Ore., native was 2-0 for the week with a 0.74 ERA and 37 strikeouts over 19 innings of work, 17 of those hitless. In her first no-no against Gardner-Webb, Miller fired a complete-game with 14 K’s, missing out on a perfect game by a single walk. Against Liberty she again came oh so close to perfection but was undone by a defensive miscue while tossing six no-hit innings with 12 K’s versus the Flames. A JUCO transfer from the College of Siskiyous, she ventured to Upstate as a junior in 2013 and has four no-hitters in her Spartan career, including a perfect game against Jacksonville State in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

“We have a great defense behind me that no matter what you throw, they have your back,” Miller said. “With that confidence, you can throw your best stuff and if they hit it, the defense is going to be there and have your back. There’s no worries, you can just throw your heart out.”

“I am extremely proud of Anna and am thrilled she has earned a national award like this,” USC Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins said. “To throw no-hitters in back-to-back starts is something rare. I have never witnessed that in all my years of coaching. It just shows how well she is pitching, working the count and locating her pitches. I am really excited where she is right now.”

Selected Top Performances


LSU’s Jacee Blades hit an amazing .667 (16-for-24) over seven games last week with seven runs, one triple, two steals and three RBIs and was 2-for-4 against then-No. 3 Washington and 4-for-4 versus then-No. 6 Oregon…Omaha’s Amber Lutmer, the Summit League Player of the Week, batted .556 (10-for-18) with four HR’s and 17 RBIs over five contests and posted seven RBIs in a single match-up against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi…Georgia’s Geri Ann Glasco, the SEC Co-Player of the Week, batted .500 (8-for-16) with five walks, four HR’s and 12 RBIs, while also blasting two grand slams in a single game against Marshall…Baylor’s Whitney Canion was 3-0 from the circle with a 0.00 ERA, a save and 22 K’s in 21 frames at the Mary Nutter Classic with wins over No. 11 Stanford, California and Northwestern…Oklahoma’s Kelsey Stevens posted a 4-1 mark with a 1.62 ERA and 23 K’s over 21.2 frames in Cathedral City, Calif., with wins over Boise State, Northwestern, Oregon State and Syracuse…Current Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week Callie Collins of UT Arlington was 3-0 during the UTA Hilton Invitational with two complete games, a shutout and a 0.93 ERA over five appearances…Tennessee’s Ellen Renfroe, the SEC Pitcher of the Week, posted a 3-0 mark with a 0.72 ERA and 22 K’s over 19.1 innings while registering wins at the Mary Nutter Classic over then-No. 11 Nebraska, then-No. 13 Stanford, and Fresno State…Sydney Gouveia of Loyola Marymount, the West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week, was 4-0 with 28 K’s and a 0.33 ERA in four appearances at the Amy S. Harrison Classic and tossed her first career no-hitter in a 1-0 win over Seattle…Rutgers’ Jackie Bates was tabbed as the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic’s Most Valuable Player after batting .438 (7-for-16) with three doubles, a HR and nine RBIs…Alabama’s Kallie Case hit .500 (9-for-18) and swiped four bases in a game against Virginia Tech to tie a Crimson Tide single-game school record…Arkansas’ Clarisa Navarro, the SEC Co-Player of the Week, knocked in 12 runs and registered both 10 hits and 10 runs scored for the Razorbacks in an unbeaten week…Kansas hurler Alicia Pille fired her first career no-hitter in a win over Jackson State and allowed opponents just a .115 batting average against with 12 K’s…Conference USA Player of the Week Louisiana Tech’s Pauline Tufi batted .600 (9-for-15) with four doubles and nine RBIs at the ULM Warhawk Classic…Longwood’s Emily Murphy batted .800 (8-for-10) with six steals, three doubles and six RBIs…Dayton’s Gabrielle Snyder, the Atlantic-10 Pitcher of the Week, posted a perfect 3-0 record on the way to being chosen to the Tiger Classic All-Tournament Team…Krista Menke of North Dakota State, the Summit League Co-Pitcher of the Week, was 4-0 with a 1.15 ERA and 24 K’s over 24.1 innings at the Houston Plaza Invite…LSU’s Baylee Corbello was 4-0 with a 2.04 ERA, four complete games and 17 K’s over 24 innings and tallied wins over Penn State, Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton and then-No. 13 Stanford.

2014 Louisville Slugger Division I National Player of the Week
Feb. 11 – Griffin Joiner – Kentucky – Jr. – C – Hopkinsville, Ky.
Feb. 18 – Bryana Walker – Washington – Sr. – P – La Quinta, Calif.
Feb. 25 – Anna Miller (Co-) – USC Upstate – Sr. – P – Portland, Ore.
Ally Carda (Co-) – UCLA – Jr. – P/UTIL – Elk Grove, Calif.

 

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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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If you’d like to submit information, forward to brentt@studentsports.com.  Also, follow us on twitter at @SS_Softball.