Upstate Softball Adds Hall and Taylor To Signee List
5/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 13, 2008
Spartanburg, S.C. - Not content to sit on its first A-Sun Conference championship in its first season as members of NCAA Division I and the A-Sun, head coach Chris Hawkins and the USC Upstate softball program has continued to hit the recruiting trail and announces the signing of Monica Hall and Dani Taylor to a national letters of intent. The pair's signing brings the number of signees for the 2009 season to seven.
"Both Monica and Dani will bring a lot to the program in a variety of areas," said Hawkins. "I feel as though both will come in and fill crucial roles for our team and I look forward to having them as members of our program."
 |
|
Hall also had an accomplished high school career at Ceres High School. She was a three-year starter on the varsity squad. She was a three-time All-Conference and Academic All-Conference selection and was named to the All-District Team in 2006.
Taylor (Simpsonville, S.C.) has played a variety of roles for her team at Hillcrest High School. Listed as a third baseman, Taylor has played at third, first and left field for the Rams. She helped lead Hillcrest to two straight appearances in the 4A state tournament in her two seasons on the varsity squad. She helped lead the Rams to the District II championship as a junior and the District III championship this season. Hillcrest advanced to the Upper State semifinals in each of the last two seasons. She hit .320 as a junior and improved that number this season, hitting .370 with a .457 slugging percentage. She also was a member of the volleyball team for one season.
In addition to her athletic prowess, Taylor has been a standout in the classroom and in her school community. She carries a 3.7 GPA and is a member of National Honor Society of Journalism. She was the Chief Editor of the high school newspaper this year and was the sports and copy editor a year ago. She also spent two years on Student Council and helped raise over $250,000 for charity over a two-week charity drive.
Hall and Taylor are the first signees in the spring for Upstate after Hawkins signed five players during the early signing period in the fall. Hall and Taylor join Sydney Bartha (OF, Vaughn, Ontario), Amber Hamilton (P, Atlanta, Ga.), Janna Lewis (SS, Charlotte, N.C.), Katelyn Molkenthin (OF, Valrico, Fla.) and Rebecca Williams (C, Simpsonville, S.C.) as signees for the upcoming season.
