We profile a Midwest player who’s staying in the region to play in the Big Ten and then look at a Texas sophomore who’s getting DI offers and then hear from a California parent who, like a Florida fan before, isn’t too crazy about the MaxPreps Preseason All-American team… but first:

 

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A very Happy Birthday to my oldest son, Kailen Eads, who turned eight years old today!

We went to Disneyland on Saturday and he was brave enough to ride California Screamin’ – the big rollercoaster at California Adventure across from Disneyland –not once, but twice.

Here he is on the second go round…

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FAB 50 TEAMS: NEED YOUR HELP WITH UPDATES!

Soon, the high school baseball season will be going full-speed for almost of the country and to track the top teams, I need your help.

If you are a player, parent or coach tied into one of the top teams in the country (here’s our FAB 50 preseason list, for example), please feel free to e-mail game scores, recaps, stats and other info on a regular basis.

This will help us not only track your favorite team and profile the standout players, but also help us with the inseason rankings.

Ideally, I’d like to have one point person or contact at each school to update info… let me know if you’d like to do it and I’ll put you down for a particular team.

Thanks!

brentt@studentsports.com

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PLAYER PROFILE: MACKENZIE DUNLAP

Grad Year: 2017
Pos: middle infielder
High School: Kankakee Valley (Wheatfield, Ind.)
GPA: 4.17
Club: Beverly Bandits
College: Northwestern

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: Tell us how you were first seen by the Northwestern coaches, then how long until they offered?
Mackenzie Dulnap: Northwestern had the opportunity to see me a couple of times. In early fall, my Bandits team played a scrimmage on Sharon J. Drysdale Field (at Northwestern). (Northwestern Co-Head) Coach Caryl (Drohan) was out in Huntington Beach, Calif. for the PGF Early Thanksgiving tournament. She was able to see me play the entire tournament and very soon after that tournament I went on my first unofficial visit. It was at the end of this visit that offered me to play as a Wildcat during my college years.

 

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
MD: I called (Northwestern Co-Head) Coach Kate (Drohan) on February 2 to let her know of my decision to play with Northwestern. When I went on my first unofficaial visit to Northwestern I fell in love with it. The coaches were very open and I felt very comfortable with them. I felt like they were going to push me to my limits on the field and academically as well and that’s something that I really loved about them. They also focused a lot on education and to me that’s something that comes first.

 

SSS.com: Have they told you what position they like you at?
MD: They told me that I would be playing shortstop.

 

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone, on an unofficial visit?
MD: I told the coaches by calling them on the phone. I just couldn’t wait to tell them. I would have loved to of told them in person or on another visit, but I just couldn’t wait to tell them my decision!

 

SSS.com: Describe your emotions around telling them, were you more nervous or more excited?
MD: I was so excited to tell them. I had a huge smile on my face the whole time that I was talking to Coach Kate. It was one of those moments where you are just so excited you’re speechless.

 

SSS.com: How far away from home will be?  Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
MD: Northwestern is only two hours from my home, so my family will be able to come to a lot of my games. No, the distance wasn’t a factor although being so close is a bonus for my family and me. I wanted to pick a school that I loved and would excel at academically and on the field. Northwestern was the perfect fit for me.

 

SSS.com:  What are your strengths as a softball player?
MD: I think my strengths as a softball player would be my range on the field and my overall softball IQ. I notice the little things that other players don’t. Once I step foot on the field my mind set is there, I focus on the details in the game that will lead to success.

 

SSS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
MD:  The top memory for me would definitely be going to Nationals for the first time. Not every team goes to those tournaments. It’s the best of best in competition and it really shows the kind of player you can be. It was just unbelievable, and being with your second family made the experience even better.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to do when you’re done playing softball (career)?
I’m still trying to figure that one out!

Fill in the blank… I’m the most happy when: ____________________
I’m with my friends and family.

What’s the best softball advice you’ve ever received?
Never doubt yourself and if you can dream it, you can achieve it.

Favorite food:
Cheese pizza

Least favorite food:
Corn bread

Who’s your favorite celebrity?
 Justin Timberlake

What type of bat do you use (and do you like it)?
DeMarini CF5… I absolutely love it.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen happen on the field?  
The funniest thing I have ever seen happened to a previous teammate of mine. She was running the bases after her hit and completely face planted after she rounded first base.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I played Pop Warner tackle football for five years.

Describe yourself in one word:
Competitive

What’s your favorite motto or phrase?
Live in the moment.

Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most? 
Kevin Martin, he was my coach for two years when I played on the Crown Point Bulldogs and is like another dad to me. He has always kept my head up in the most difficult times, pushes me to my limits, and has always believed in me. He is just one of those coaches that you won’t forget about.

 

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RECRUIT SPOTLIGHT OF THE DAY: SHELBY HENDERSON

High school: Keller
City: Keller
State: 
Texas
Grad year: 2016
Club: Team Mizuno Impulse 16U
Position(s): C/3B
Height: 5-4
Stats & Honors:  through first five games this year hit .667 with .933 slugging percentage and 13 RBI in 15 official at-bats.

College: uncommitted
Offers: Texas Tech
Camps: participated in the Colorado and Dallas Jamborees, East Coast National Elite Futures Camp (Atlanta)

What is your favorite brand of cleats? 
Mizuno
What is the uniform brand you prefer? Mizuno

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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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MaxPreps Pre-Season team is based purely on stats, and never weighted for whom these kids play against. 

To only have one Orange County (Calif.) player is ridiculous and Florida I am sure has some solid players too, but most of the high schools these kids hail from face no competition. 

As an example, (one non-SoCal player) is a solid pitcher to be sure, but she faces ZERO competition and her high school doesn’t even enter into any top tournaments, so should her stats carry the same weight as Taylor McQuillin‘s when her high school faces some of the best schools in the country? 

Also, pitchers seem to be only honored for their strikeouts, not their overall talent and performance.  It’s easy to get strikeouts when facing kids who can’t hit — try that in Orange County or parts of Riverside (i.e. Norco, Corona Santiago, Etiwanda, etc). NOT going to happen unless your league is also weak, and there are indeed some weak leagues. 

Show me a pitcher who has 13 strikeouts per game against Pacifica, Mission Viejo, Esperanza, Los Alamitos, Marina, Edison, etc. and then put her on the top of the list!  Not many can do that.

Stats are important but only when weighted with the competition they are facing.  Nicole DeWitt who batted .490 with 7 home runs should surely be on that team as well as others who won QUALITY games.

Of pitchers selected, save Johanna, how far did they take their teams in TOP CIF areas or Nationals and how do they fare when playing the best teams? 

Just saying, the Florida folks have a point, but I can say that at least four Orange County kids should have been on that team based upon true performance. Oh, and the Florida writer is correct about the person who heads up MaxPreps, he doesn’t like So Cal either.

— Orange County parent

Thoughts? Is this right, there aren’t enough elite SoCal players on the list?    E-mail me your comments and opinions: brentt@studentsports.com

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Some news and notes on juniors of note (2015’s):

— Last month (Jan. 22 Daily Update), we profiled Shelley Warmolts, a catcher/outfielder on the Illinois Chill-Edwards team.

She wrote to us to give more info on what she’s look at in the recruiting scene:

“My dream is to play for a D1 softball program that values academics and has a good balance between softball and school. I believe a small to medium sized school is a good fit.”

“Since middle school I have attended many camps as a participant and to catch for high school pitchers. In January I attended the Dartmouth and Penn softball skills camps. Both schools and programs are amazing! I plan to keep in touch with both of these schools and hope they come watch me this summer, as promised.”

“I took an unofficial visit to West Point in March of last year, but after a lot of reflection, decided it was not the best fit. I have great respect for the military since my grandfather was in the Navy and my cousin is at the Air Force Academy.”

“I am excited to keep corresponding with Penn and Dartmouth, but realize these are dream schools and need to keep my eyes open for opportunities. I plan to attend the Pennsbury Academic Camp prior to the Pennsbury Invitational in June. My team, Illinois Chill Gold 18U Edwards, will be playing in the Colorado Fireworks and DeMarini (Glen Ellyn, IL) tournaments for further exposure.”

 

— Catcher Katie Habryle, a Bradley commit, is now playing for the Northwest Bullets Gold team.

Katie, who attends Kentlake High in Covington, Wash., is a relatively new catcher, having played the corners up until three years ago when her coaches moved her behind the plate to catch with her 5-foot-9 frame and she did so well she ultimately was offered as a backstop.

Katie led her high school team in hitting as a freshman in 2012, striking out only twice and had a strong, although injury-shortened, sophomore year.

She came back strong for summer ball calling most of her own games from behind the plate during PGF Nationals.  Prior to joining the Bullets she had been in the Washington LadyHawks organization.

Scouting-wise, she’s a power hitter with good bat speed and strong leadership abilities.

 

— Morgan Acosta, an outfielder for the Louisiana Maniax, has committed to Harding University. Morgan attends Parkview Baptist in Baton Rouge, La.

 

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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.