We have a lot of content today, from an Ivy League-bound prospect from the East Coast to more responses to the MaxPreps.com Preseason All-American team to high school and college rankings…

 

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PLAYER PROFILE: SYDNEY GINSBERG

Grad Year: 2014
Pos: 2B/3B
High School: Rye Country Day (Rye, N.Y.)
GPA/SAT or ACT: 3.7 (unweighted); 2200 SAT
Club: New Jersey Gators
College: Yale

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: Congrats on going to a great university like Yale!  How excited were you when you found you were accepted?  Walk us through the process of getting into the school… 
Sydney Ginsberg: I could not have been more excited to get into Yale.  For me, it’s the perfect combination of rigorous academics and top quality athletics.  The athletic recruiting process in general was a very long road, that really began the summer after my sophomore year.  I was fortunate to attract the interest of several really great schools and that made me work that much harder on my athletics and academics junior year.  During the summer after junior year the Ivy League recruiting heated up.  In early August I verbally committed to Yale.  I submitted my Early Action application by the end of September and in the first week of October I received my Likely Letter.   Finally, on December 17, I got my official acceptance letter.

 

SSS.com: You must have one incredible academic background, what are some of your most proud accomplishments?  
SG: I have always pushed myself to work really hard at both school and sports.  When I look back, I’m happy that I was able to keep up a high level of effort over my high school career.  It’s a marathon and not a sprint, and sometimes it can feel like the finish line will never come.  You definitely feel that way when you’re waking up at 6 am on a dark, wintry Saturday to head to practice or staying up until 2 am to finish a paper after playing in a doubleheader or a squash match.

 

SSS.com:  And what are some of the extracurricular things you’ve done that got you noticed?  
SG: I have played travel softball since I was 14.  That is a must if you want to get recruited.  It is important to play against the highest level of competition and get the best coaching possible.  As you get older, it is also important to be on a team that gets invited to the right college showcases so that you can get exposure to coaches at schools that are interesting to you. Unfortunately, playing high level travel ball means you are on the road most weekends, trying to juggle schoolwork and playing games.  It also means you miss a lot of time hanging out with friends or going to parties.  You need to really, really love it because if you don’t the sacrifices are too great.  I was fortunate to play for some incredible organizations, and for some incredible coaches, who made me a much better player and person.  Pete Bissacia, Rick Boyle and Tom Dumser at Empire State Huskies, Bridget Burt at Hudson Valley Hurricanes, and Margaret Scarcella at Rye Country Day, had a huge impact on my development.  I cannot thank them enough.  They are great coaches and great people.

 

SSS.com: You’ve played varsity in squash and soccer, how have those sports helped you in softball?  
SG: I think squash in particular is great for my softball.  I played squash competitively when I was little and then returned to it to play seriously again a couple of years ago.  I love it. It keeps me in great shape and demands quickness and fast reflexes.  I play a lot of third base, where the ball gets on you in a hurry, so quick reflexes are a must.

 

SSS.com: You were a research assistant at NYU Medial Center… what were some of the things you did with that?  
SG: I worked in a neurology laboratory at NYU.  I’m a math and science girl so it was good for me to explore working in a lab.  I’m interested in the way the brain works.  Yale has a great Cognitive Science major, which is something that might interest me.

 

SSS.com: How does it work being a softball player going to an Ivy League school like Yale? You’re recruited just like players at other schools, correct?
SG: I am lucky to be one of five softball recruits entering next year.  I’ve met my future teammates and they are all amazing.  They are incredibly impressive people; so is Head Coach Jen Goodwin and Assistant Head Coach Barb Reinalda.  I am really lucky to be part of such an incredible group of people.  The Ivy League does not have athletic scholarships or any other special treatment for student-athletes.  I like the fact that even though they are Division I athletes, student-athletes at Yale are first and foremost students.

 

SSS.com: Assuming you will play softball there (if not, skip this question), how did the Yale coaches find you and how did the recruiting process go?
SG: I was recruited by a bunch of schools, but I focused my attention on Ivy League schools and NESCAC schools, like Amherst and Williams, because they all had the right combination of academic and athletic excellence that I wanted.  The recruiting process usually begins with the player contacting the coach by email and sending a player profile and skills video.  If the coaches like what they see, then they might come see you play live at a college showcase.  Also, I attended a bunch of one or two day camps at some schools that interested me.  Yale came to see me play several times last Summer, including during the Firecracker showcase in Colorado, which is a week long showcase attended by some of the best travel teams in the country and many college coaches.  At the end of the recruiting process I had several great choices, but at the end of the day Yale is Yale and I couldn’t imagine not being a Bulldog if I had the chance.

 

SSS.com:  What do you think are your strengths as a softball player?
SG: I am really tiny for a softball player (5-foot-4, 110 pounds), but I am quick and pretty fast with a good glove and a good arm. I am a natural righty, but when I was 15 my coach, Tom Dumser, turned me into a lefty slap hitter to take advantage of my speed.  I’m a versatile player and can play all the infield positions (except first, pitcher and catcher) and all the outfield positions.  Also, I’m told I’m a good leader.  I love playing softball and always have a smile on my face when playing, win or lose.

 

SSS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
SG: My high school made it to the private school state championships twice.  We lost both times in close games, but I loved the atmosphere and competition.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to major in at Yale?  
Something in the sciences probably, possibly Cognitive Sciences.

Fill in the blank… I’m happiest when: _________________ 
… I’m playing a sport.

What do you think is the No. 1 issue in the world today?
Winning the battle on cancer.

Favorite school subject:
AP Calculus and AP Physics.

Least favorite subject:
U.S. History.

Favorite part about being from New York?
Awesome Chinese food.

What type of bat do you use (and do you like it)?
Stealth.  I’ve had it forever and I trust it

What inspires you?
People who achieve something through hard work and dedication.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I have really tiny thumbs.

Describe yourself in one sentence:
Naturally shy, intense and extremely loyal.

Do you have a favorite phrase or a motto you live by?
“Nobody ever drowned in her own sweat.”

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
A genie!

What’s the best advice you ever received?
Lead the pack, don’t follow it.

Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most?
Winston Churchill.

 

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: MORE ON MAXPREPS ALL-AMERICANS

Last we ran the list of the MaxPreps.com 2014 Preseason All-American team and have received several comments on the list… here’s one of them:

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These are just my thoughts and frustrations with the MaxPreps system, since you asked!  

While all of these girls and teams are very talented, there are many top level high school softball programs in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area (and many other areas I’m sure) that don’t even report scores and stats to Max Preps.  

While I wish they would, so that there is an across the board method of comparison, some schools just don’t mess with it.  The stats that may actually be there are incomplete and may only come from one or two games from an entire season from the opponent team’s postings.  

Our large, consistently strong high school softball program at Keller High School (5A) is one that reports to the two large local newspapers, but not MaxPreps.  

The competition at this level in Texas is extremely strong. Don’t get me wrong – we get plenty of recognition at the local and state levels when we do well.  It would just be nice to have an accurate way of comparing teams/players.  

Thanks for listening!

— a Texas parent

Thoughts? E-mail me your thoughts: brentt@studentsports.com

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Congrats to the Stealth Fastpitch-Adams program in Calif., coached by Sarah Adams, which has the following commits:

— 3B/2B Elise Moore (2014, Florida State College)
— SS/OF Ashley Lopez (2014, Howard College)

 

*** More verbals:

— SS/UT Savanna Bonola (2017, Tennessee)… plays for Texas Blaze-Bonola
— OF Molly Campbell (2014, Seattle)… plays for San Diego Legacy
— 3B/SS Julianna Ferguson (2014, Maine)… plays for Rhode Island Thunder
— P Erricka Leopardi (2015, Delaware State)… plays for Sting Gold
— P Mariah Nichols (2017, Memphis)… plays for Texas Glory
— IF Tori Poullard (2016, Abilene Christian)… plays for Firecrackers (DFW)-Lutz

 

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FAB 50 & HIGH SCHOOL RANKINGS:

*** In our preseason FAB 50 rankings, Harmony (Fla.) was No. 17 and they’re showing that they’re deserving of the top 20 ranking.

As of yesterday, the team was 6-0 and has beaten two teams ranked in the Orlando Sentinel Super Six rankings (Harmony is No. 1).

In the six wins, the team has given up only three runs behind the stellar pitching of Lele Ocasio, the Florida-bound hurler who has pitched 19 innings and not allowed a hit while striking out 40 and giving up only two walks.

The senior is also leading the team in batting average at .647 going 11-for-17 with 15 RBI and three homers.

Senior infielder Molly Baker is also on fire at the plate, hitting .600.  Overall the Lady Mustangs are hitting .464 with 55 RBI (more than nine runs averaged per game).

 

*** California, for those who don’t know, is broken down into “sections” and the biggest by far is the Southern Section, which also contains the bulk of the state’s powerhouse teams.

The Southern Section preseason softball rankings came out this week… here’s who’s rated highest by division:

CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION – FORD TOP 10 POLLS 2014 COACHES’ PRESEASON SOFTBALL RANKINGS

DIVISION 1

1. Santiago/Corona
2. Norco
3. Pacifica/Garden Grove
4. Yorba Linda
5. West Ranch
6. Etiwanda
7. Rosary
8. Orange Lutheran
9. ML King
10. Marina
Others: Foothill, Canyon/A, Cypress

DIVISION 2

1. Chino
2. Lakewood
3. Millikan
4. Chino Hills
5. Oaks Christian
6. Charter Oak
7. Dana Hills
8. Ayala
9. Trabuco Hills
10. Bonita
Others: Mission Viejo, Yucaipa, El Toro, Royal, Redlands East Valley, South Hills

DIVISION 3

1. Righetti
2. Sunny Hills
3. La Serna
4. La Habra
5. Peninsula
6. California
7. Kaiser
8. Colton
9. Burbank
10. Grand Terrace

Others: Chaminade

DIVISION 4

1. Hemet
2. Santa Monica
3. Dos Pueblos
4. Patriot
5. La Quinta/LQ
6. Buena
7. Paloma Valley
8. Oak Hills
9. Loara
10. Heritage
Others: Ocean View, South El Monte, Segerstrom

DIVISION 5

1. Aquinas
2. Montebello
3. Silverado
4. Citrus Valley
5. Sierra Vista
6. Northview
7. Jurupa Hills
8. San Dimas
9. Barstow
10. Burroughs/R

DIVISION 6

1. Bell-Jeff
2. Mary Star of the Sea
3. Santa Paula
4. Pomona Catholic
5. Cantwell Sacred Heart
6. St Bonaventure
7. Saddleback Valley Christian
8. Alverno
9. St. Anthony
10. Pasadena Poly
Others: Shadow Hills, Boron San Gabriel Mission

DIVISION 7

1. Mesa Grande Academy
2. Southlands Christian
3. Riverside Christian
4. Academy for Academic Excellence
5. Faith Baptist
6. Firebaugh
7. University Prep
8. Bloomington Christian
9. Avalon
10. Coast Union
Others: Orcutt Academy, Pacifica Christian, Sab Jacinto Valley Academy

 

*** And while we’re doing state team rankings, here are the brand new Mississippi (MHSAA) Fastpitch Preseason Rankings (top 5 in each class):

6A

1. Oak Grove
2. Madison Central
3. Harrison Central
4. Desoto Central
5. South Panola

5A

1. Neshoba Central
2. New Hope
3. East Central
4. George County
5. Lake Cormorant

4A

1. Newton County
2. Corinth
3. Caledonia
4. Poplarville
5. Houston

3A

1. St. Patrick
2. Nettleton
3. Philadelphia
4. Mooreville
5. North Pontotoc

2A

1. East Webster
2. Enterprise Clarke
3. Baldwyn
4. Taylorsville
5. Hatley

1A

1. Nanih Waiya
2. West Union
3. Smithville
4. Bogue Chitto
5. Hamilton

 

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COLLEGE NEWS: LATEST RANKINGS

*** Top-ranked Gators tighten hold on top spot in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll

OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite a rain-filled weekend as host of the Lipton Invitational, the Florida Gators (16-0) put together another undefeated performance to keep their spot atop the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced today.  Florida tallied 15 first-place votes en route to their third-consecutive week atop the poll.  Also securing first-place votes are this week’s No. 2 Tennessee (13-0), who grabbed four votes, and No. 3 Arizona State (17-0), who earned the remaining vote.

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

The Gators pitching staff continued to dominate from the circle this week, allowing just three runs to score while the powerful Florida offense put up 32 runs.  Florida started the week with a standalone game against Jacksonville and came away with a 6-0 shutout win before taking on Troy and Indiana at the Lipton Invitational.  The Gators won two games Friday night defeating Troy 3-0 and Indiana 3-1 before sweeping another doubleheader the next day against Troy, 12-2, and Indiana, 8-0 ( 5 innings).  Inclement weather proved to be a burden as heavy rains forced the remaining two matchups against Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern to be cancelled.

Tennessee reclaimed the No. 2 spot this week after capturing two wins against ranked opponents at the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.  The Lady Vols opened the tournament with a 5-3 win over then-No. 12 Nebraska and followed with a 5-1 win over Oregon State.

In their final day in Palm Springs, Tennessee edged past then-No. 11 Stanford 3-1 before capping off the weekend with a 5-4, come-from-behind win over Fresno State.

Arizona State also rose in the ranks this week to No. 3 following a 6-0 performance at home last week.  The Sun Devils began with an 8-0 (5 inning) shutout over Drake before opening play as hosts of the Diamond Devil Invitational.  The Sun Devils strung together a 12-1 (5 inning) win over Seton Hall, a 3-0 shutout over Boston College, and an 11-1 (5 inning) win over Idaho State before finishing the weekend with a pair of wins over Drake (9-1, 5 inning) and Idaho State (13-4, 5 inning).

Michigan (12-2) shifted up one spot this week to No. 4 after going 5-0 at the FAU Kickoff Classic in Boca Raton, Fla.  The Wolverines picked up wins against Kent State (7-1 and 1-0, 9 innings), Pittsburgh (9-0, 5 innings), then-No. 6 Kentucky (3-0) and Florida Atlantic (1-0).  No. 5 UCLA (16-0) earned their highest ranking this year and round out the Top 5.  The Bruins picked up five wins at the Mary Nutter Classic, including three wins over ranked opponents.  UCLA edged past No. 13 Oklahoma 3-2 and then-No. 18 Missouri 4-3 and handed then-No. 12 Nebraska a 6-2 loss.

Rounding out the Top 10: No. 6 Oregon (14-1) continued their winning streak with a 5-0 showing at the Mary Nutter Classic that included wins over then-No. 23 LSU and then-No. 24 Notre Dame; No. 7 Washington (13-2) fell five spots this week after suffering losses to then-No. 23 LSU and Northwestern;  No. 8 Kentucky (13-2) moved down two spots after a 3-2 performance at the FAU Kickoff Classic; No. 9 Arizona (13-1) made the biggest jump for the second-consecutive week with a 4-1 outing at the Mary Nutter Classic; No. 10 Alabama (12-3) picked up wins over Virginia Tech and UCF before falling to McNeese State 5-3.

Rank	Team	Record	Points	Previous Ranking
1.	Florida (15)	16-0	493	1
2.	Tennessee (4)	13-0	482	3
3.	Arizona State (1)	17-0	460	4
4.	Michigan	12-2	411	5
5.	UCLA	16-0	407	9
6.	Oregon	14-1	384	8
7.	Washington	13-2	374	2
8.	Kentucky	13-2	335	6
9.	Arizona	13-1	322	14
10.	Alabama	12-3	321	7
11.	Florida State	13-1	319	10
12.	Baylor	12-3	259	15
13.	Oklahoma	10-5	228	13
14.	Stanford	14-3	227	11
15.	Nebraska	9-5	218	12
16.	South Alabama	11-1	188	19
17.	Georgia	12-1	184	17
18.	Texas A&M	12-4	177	16
19.	Missouri	7-3	168	18
20.	Minnesota	12-1	104	20
21.	LSU	12-5	103	23
22.	Tulsa	13-2	98	21
23.	Notre Dame	10-3	61	24
24.	Arkansas	13-3	32	RV
25.	Louisiana-Lafayette	9-5-1	31	22

Parenthesis denotes first place votes.

Dropped Out: Texas (25)
New to Poll: Arkansas (RV)

Others receiving votes: Auburn (30), USC Upstate (20), Northwestern (19), Texas (12), California (10), Mississippi State (7), San Diego State (4), Lipscomb (3), South Florida (3), Louisville (2), Cal State Fullerton (2), McNeese State (1), DePaul (1)
*** Florida Strengthens Its Hold on the Top Spot in USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll

A 16-game winning streak to open the 2014 campaign has helped Florida (16-0) strengthen its hold on the No. 1 position in the Feb. 25th release of the USA Today/NFCA Division I softball poll.

The Gators received 20 of 32 possible first-place votes to expand their advantage over No. 2 Tennessee (13-0) from six to 12 points in the latest listing. UF recorded a perfect 5-0 week, with four match-ups at its home-hosted Lipton Invitational in Gainesville, Fla., that included victories over Jacksonville, Troy and Indiana.

Second-ranked Tennessee (13-0) was one of many teams throughout the country that made the trip to Cathedral City, Calif., to participate in the high-profile Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. During their stay at the prestigious event, the Lady Vols downed a pair of ranked teams in then-No. 11 Nebraska (5-3) and then-No. 13 Stanford (3-1) and also picked up hard-fought wins over Oregon State (5-1) and Fresno State (5-4).

Another perfect home weekend, this one at its own Diamond Devil Invitational, allowed Arizona State (17-0) the opportunity to climb a single spot to third, while Oregon (14-1) rose from sixth to fourth following its unbeaten effort at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The Ducks won all five of their match-ups, including triumphs over then-No. 23 LSU (4-1) and then-No. 24 Notre Dame (2-0 in 9 inn.).

No. 5 UCLA (16-0) topped a trio of ranked squads, then-No. 18 Oklahoma (3-2), then-No. 16 Missouri (4-3) and then-No. 11 Nebraska (6-2), and picked up a first-place vote to continue its rapid, early-season jaunt up the polls.

A perfect run through the FAU Kickoff Classic in Boca Raton, Fla., helped Michigan (12-2) improve a slot to sixth. Despite receiving one first-place nod, Washington (13-2) still fell from third to No. 7 after suffering its first two losses of 2014 at the Mary Nutter Classic to then-No. 23 LSU (3-6) and Northwestern (2-4). Eighth-ranked Kentucky (13-2) saw its unbeaten run to start the season come to an abrupt end in Boca Raton, Fla., with shutout losses against Kent State (0-3) and top 10 team Michigan (0-3) to drop three positions. Florida State won a trio of games at home in Tallahassee, Fla., to climb one spot to ninth, while No. 10 Arizona (13-1) leapt from 14th into the top 10 for the first time in 2014 after going 4-1 at the Mary Nutter Classic with high-profile victories over then-No. 12 Texas A&M (4-2) and then-No. 11 Nebraska (7-0).

Texas (8-9) was dropped from the No. 25 slot in last week’s poll, allowing for the entrance of Auburn (13-1-1) in that position in the new listing. Head coach Clint Myers’ Tigers swept through their Wilson-DeMarini Classic in Auburn, Ala., with triumphs over Jacksonville State (6-5 in 9 inn. and 13-3 in 5 inn.), Samford (3-0) and Purdue (8-0 in 5 inn.).

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 3 – Feb. 25, 2014

Rank	Team	2014 Record	Totals	Last Poll Rank
1	Florida (20)	16-0	788	1
2	Tennessee (10)	13-0	776	2
3	Arizona State	17-0	728	4
4	Oregon	14-1	672	6
5	UCLA (1)	16-0	645	8
6	Michigan	12-2	627	7
7	Washington (1)	13-2	625	3
8	Kentucky	13-2	559	5
9	Florida State	13-1	535	10
10	Arizona	13-1	509	14
11	Alabama	12-3	472	9
12	Baylor	12-3	414	15
13	Texas A&M	12-4	358	12
14	South Alabama	11-1	349	19
15	Stanford	14-3	332	13
16	Nebraska	9-5	328	11
17	Missouri	7-3	315	16
18	Georgia	12-1	290	17
19	Minnesota	12-1	232	21
20	Oklahoma	10-5	202	18
21	Tulsa	13-2	159	22
22	LSU	12-5	146	23
23	Notre Dame	10-3	114	24
24	Louisiana Lafayette	9-5-1	74	20
25	Auburn	13-1-1	57	RV

 

Dropped Out:  No. 25 Texas (8-9)

Others Receiving Votes:  USC Upstate (44), Northwestern (21), Hofstra (6), California (5), Cal State Fullerton (4), DePaul (4), McNeese State (3), Mississippi State (3), Lipscomb (1), Louisville (1), Texas (1), UAB (1).
 

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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.