Spartan Softball Signs Six During Early Period
11/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 12, 2008
Spartanburg, S.C. - As USC Upstate head softball coach Chris Hawkins and the Spartans prepare for the 2009 season, Hawkins and his coaching staff have already put in work to bolster the team in 2010 with the signing of six student-athletes during the early signing period.
Joining Upstate in the fall of 2009 to begin play for the 2010 season are Ericka Harris, Ashley McCurry, Blake Meredith, Haley Sheehan, Alyssa Starkey and Alexis Yohe. Sheehan and Starkey are junior college transfers from Spartanburg Methodist College, while Harris, McCurry, Meredith and Yohe will enter as freshmen.
"I fully expect each of these players to come into our program and be productive members of the team," said Hawkins. "Each player brings something different to the team, but each can produce and be key members of the program in their own way. They combine both talent and knowledge for the game and I look forward to seeing them in a Spartan uniform."
Harris (Piedmont, S.C.) has been a member of the varsity softball team at Wren High School since the seventh grade, helping lead the Golden Hurricanes to the 2008 4A State Championship and a 26-5 record. She has played a variety of positions for Wren, primarily at third, shortstop and catcher. An standout wherever she plays, she is a three-time All-State and four-time All-Region selection. She was named to the All-Region Rookie team as a seventh grader in 2004 and was named Wren's Offensive MVP in 2005 and 2006. In addition to her standout play at Wren, she has been a member of the Lady Lightning Gold travel team which competed in the ASA Nationals in 2005 and 2006.
McCurry (Enka, N.C.) has been a standout outfielder at Enka High School for three years. A two-year starter, she is a two-time All-Conference selection. She earned All-State and All-District honors as a junior in 2008 after hitting a team-best .489 for the season. She was also named to the Asheville Citizen Times All-Western North Carolina team. In addition to softball, she is a standout on the basketball team at Enka and was an all-conference selection last year. A solid athlete, she is also a strong student and is a member of the National Honor Society. In addition to her play at Enka, she has been a valuable player on the Lady Lightning Gold travel team.
Meredith (Post Falls, Idaho) is an outstanding all-around player for Post Falls High School. She is a left-handed pitcher who also plays first base and in the outfield. A four-year letterwinner, she led the state 5A ranks with a .559 batting average as a junior in 2008. She recorded a team-best 0.91 ERA in the circle. She was named the Inland Empire Conference Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2006 and has earned First Team All-Conference honors as a pitcher each of the last two seasons. In addition to her play at Post Falls, she has played summer travel ball for the Northwest Wildfire, leading the team to appearances in the ASA "A" Nationals the last four years. She finished last summer with a .423 batting average and a 1.12 ERA. She is also a solid student in the classroom and has been named a Scholar-Athlete at Post Falls High School.
Sheehan (Graniteville, S.C.) will transfer to Upstate after spending just one year at Spartanburg Methodist College and will have three years of eligibility remaining. She is currently in preparation for her freshman season with the Pioneers. Prior to enrolling at SMC, she had a tremendous high school career at Midland Valley High School where she was a four-year letterwinner in softball, basketball and volleyball for the Mustangs. The middle infielder was highly decorated as a softball player. She was named the 3A Player of the Year by the High School Sports Report and the Region IV-3A Player of the Year as a senior in 2008. She was a two-time All-State and All-Region selection. She was the South's MVP of the 2A/3A All-Star Game and was a CAWS All-State and All-Star selection as a senior. She was a finalist for the Greater Augusta Sports Council's Outstanding Female Athlete Award, earning the Silver Award in 2008. In addition, she earned a Wendy's High School Heisman Award nomination in 2007. She hit .456 with seven home runs, four triples, 40 RBIs and 41 runs scored as a senior. She led the all players in South Carolina 3A with 19 doubles and was fourth in RBIs. A standout at her school, she was voted Midland Valley's Homecoming Queen last fall. She was also a two-time All-Region selection in basketball and volleyball and was a four-time recipient of the Mustang Award.
Starkey (Inman, S.C.) will transfer to Upstate after spending two seasons at Spartanburg Methodist College. She hit .361 with a 1.000 fielding percentage last year for SMC, leading the Pioneers to the Region X championship and a fifth-place finish in the Junior College Nationals. A Region X First Team All-Region pick, she is currently in preparation for the 2009 season for the Pioneers. Prior to her play at SMC, she was a standout at Chapman High School. She was a four-year starter and letterwinner in the outfield. A two-time All-Region selection, she was named to the North-South All-Star team as a senior in 2007. She helped lead the Lady Panthers to the 2A state championship as a sophomore in 2005 and back-to-back Upper State championships and second-place finishes in the state championship in 2006 and 2007. In addition to softball, she lettered four times in volleyball and twice in basketball and was an All-Region selection in volleyball as a senior. A standout in the classroom, she was named to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal's All-Academic team in 2007.
Yohe (Concord, N.C.) is a standout pitcher and corner infielder at Northwest Cabarrus High School. She earned Honorable Mention All-State honors as a junior after going 10-6 with a 1.29 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 103 innings pitched. The two-time All-Conference selection also earned All-District honors as a junior in 2008. She helped lead the Trojans to back-to-back second-place finishes in the North Piedmont Conference as a sophomore and junior. She is a two-time winner of the team's Golden Bat Award. As a pitcher, she owns a 23-12 career record with 296 strikeouts in 261 innings pitched. Offensively, she owns a .360 career batting average with 14 doubles, four home runs, 32 runs scored and 50 RBIs in three years at Northwest Cabarrus. She is also an exceptional student and is a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club. In addition to her play at Northwest Cabarrus, she has been a key player on the Carolina Cardinals travel team coached by Rick McHone and helped lead the team to an appearance in the ASA Eastern Nationals last summer.
