Southern Utah
SOFTBALL: Southern Utah University's three-time defending Mid-Continent Conference regular-season champion softball squad has signed four players to National Letters of Intent for the 2005-06 school year, SUU Head Coach Jodi Hermanek has announced. Included in the group are two junior college transfers and two high school players. Jucos Marci Pratt and Cassie Cresswell will join the Thunderbirds next season, as will incoming freshmen Mandi Eardley and Veronica Villa.
Pratt is a catcher from Taylorsville, who just completed her sophomore season at Dixie State and helped the Rebels advance to the Junior College National Tournament. She batted .414 with 11 home runs while carrying a slugging percentage of .770. An all-Southwest Athletic Conference performer, she was named MVP of the SWAC post-season tournament. she also had 13 doubles, four triples and 59 RBI for the Rebels during the regular season.
"As a catcher Marci will add to the success that we have had with our pitching staff this season," Hermanek pointed out. "And as a hitter she will fit right into place in our offense. She was heavily recruited by SUU out of high school and we are more than thrilled to finally add her to our roster."
Cresswell is a Phoenix, Ariz., native who played outfield at five-time NJCAA Division II champion Phoenix College. This past season she ranked third in NJCAA Division II with 42 stolen bases. She also finished the season with a .400 batting average and 58 runs scored with five doubles and a triple. Hitting lead-off for the Bears, Cresswell carried an on-base percentage of .452.
"Cassie will be a huge asset to our lineup," Hermanek noted. "We need more speed in our power-hitting arsenal and she has just that. Cassie is also a natural outfielder, with quick feet, a strong arm and aggression to the ball. Plus, she knows the game."
Eardley, another outfielder, prepped at Utah's Riverton High School, where she helped the team to a spot in the Utah 5A playoffs this year. During the state tournament she hit .624 with a double and two RBI as well as five stolen bases. She has also played with Utah Sum Teem in travel leagues, hitting .368 with an on-base average of .527 last year when she had 16 RBI and stole 13 bases.
"Mandi is a local talent who will compliment the athleticism of our outfield play," Hermanek said. "She is an aggressive young athlete who will also add the lefty short-game to off-set our power hitting. LIke Cassie, she will add to our short game and bring speed to our lineup."
Villa is a three-sport star from Nevada's Pahrump Valley High School. Last year she hit .500 with 13 home runs, 10 triples and 25 stolen bases at PVHS, where she also carried an on-base percentage of .584. A middle infielder on the diamond, she was named her school's MVP in softball, basketball and volleyball last year.
"Veronica is a middle-infielder who I am excited to sign," Hermanek said. "It will be fun to watch her develop over the next few years. She has power potential along with speed but her aggressiveness and enjoyment of the game are what really impressed me.
"Knowing the power of our offense, my recruiting mind-set for the 2006 roster was to bring in athletes who will give our opposition more to defend," Hermanek added. "We wanted more speed, more short-game lefty slappers, yet athletes who will still contribute to our power and I think we accomplished that."
BYU
GYMNASTICS: BYU gymnast Marie-Helene Claveau has been named to the 2005 Academic All-District VIII University DivisionWomen's At-Large First Team, one of only 11 athletes chosen. In her four semesters at BYU, Claveau has earned a 4.0 GPA in all but one semester leading to an overall GPA of 3.99 as a pre-management major. Claveau has been named a NACGC Scholar Athlete and Cougar Club Scholar Athlete.
Not only was Claveau one of the top scholar athletes this season, shewas also a top gymnast. Originally from Laval, Quebec, Canada, Claveau and her sister Genevieve came to BYU to compete at the collegiate level for two years. In that time, Marie-Helene quickly became a team leader.
Five of her performances on vault, beam and floor hold places in BYUs top-ten records. During the 2005 season she held team season highs onvault and floor. She was also nationally ranked in the top 30 for most of the season on vault, beam and all-around.
The first-team selections from each district advance to the national ballot to be considered for the ESPN Magazine Academic All-America Team, which will be announced June 14.