Thursday, November 19, 2009

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 19, 2009) - Head ETSU softball coach Andrea Mangrum and her staff announced on Thursday afternoon that Alexa Cash (Vail, Ariz.), Nicole Fox (Peachtree City, Ga.), Sadè Johnson (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and Katie Wolff (LaGrange, Texas) have all signed national letters-of-intent to play for the Lady Bucs starting in 2010-11.

"The word explosive comes to mind when I think about our 2010 class, because this group includes speed and power on defense and offense," said Mangrum. "These four players will be exciting to watch and the sky is the limit for their careers at ETSU. More importantly, they are great students who all have dreams and aspirations of making a positive difference in society when they leave our program."

Cash, a 5-9 right-handed pitcher, comes from a softball hot bed in Arizona. The native of Vail, Ariz. has posted a 41-7 record along with 537 strikeouts in the circle over the last two years at Cienega High School. Cash has been named First Team All-Region and First Team All-City; while also being tabbed First Team All-Southern Arizona and guided the Bobcats to a second-place finish in the 4A Regional. In addition to her strong arm, Cash swings a hot bat, as she hit .365 as a sophomore and .378 last year.

"Alexa plays year round against some of the strongest competition in the country," added Mangrum. "Her powerful bat makes her even more valuable on the field, because not only does she have a strong arm but she can also hit the long ball. She throws a hard ball but has great movement. Alexa is a very disciplined player both on the mound and at the plate."

Fox is a switch hitting outfielder who has played multiple sports throughout her high school career - lettering in softball, track, and basketball. As a junior, Fox hit a blistering .615 (40-for-65) with 11 doubles, four triples and two home runs. The Peachtree City, Ga. native also drove in 19 runs, while going 21-of-23 in the stolen base department. The two-year team captain helped guide the War Eagle to a 5A Region Championship and State Sectionals. Fox was named Region 5A Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and posted the highest batting average, slugging percentage (1.000), and on-base percentage (.643) amongst players in the region as well. Through 62 games, Fox has posted a .406 batting average (80-197) with 18 doubles, eight triples, three home runs, 35 RBIs, and 57 stolen bases (61 attempts).

"Nicole is a great defensive outfielder who has a lot of speed and arm strength," Mangrum said. "She is a smart player both offensively and defensively, and that is something you cannot teach. She is a gifted athlete that will bring depth and strength to our program. She will help us at the plate by using her speed and ability to find holes in the defense. Nicole will also help replace the speed we are losing with Cheniece Cason and Katy Jett."

Joining Fox is fellow Georgia native (Sadè) Johnson - who is a four-year letterwinner from Peachtree Ridge High School. Johnson played with Fox and current Lady Buccaneer Arielle Garner with the GA Elite team. The versatile player was selected First Team All-County in 2008 and 2009; while winning the Golden Glove and Lion Award (best team player) as a junior.

"Sadè is very comparable to Nicole in many aspects, as she is very fast, has great arm strength and game awareness," commented Mangrum. "She has also been around a very high level of softball both in high school and travel ball. Sadè can help us at the plate with her ability to drive the ball, drop a bunt, and find a hole in the defense."

Rounding out the recruiting class is (Katie) Wolff - a right-handed pitcher out of LaGrange High School in Texas. Wolff is a four-year letterwinner and has been named District MVP in 2008 and 2009. In addition, Wolff was named to the All-Central Texas Softball Team and was apart of the 2009 All-Academic squad.

"Katie is a strong pitcher and hitter, and will be a great leader for us both on and off the field," said Mangrum. "She comes from a very talented program that has prepared her to play at the next level. Being from Texas, she faces strong competition year round, and we are excited for her to bring that level of competitiveness to our team. On the mound she is a very composed pitcher who controls the game in a very mature manner. At the plate she also brings some power as a hitter and is a great defensive first baseman. Athletically she can do a lot of things for us, so it makes her the total package we were looking for in filling our voids."

This recruiting class has some strong holes to fill, as the Lady Bucs lose five key starters at the end of the 2010 season.

"Replacing my first recruiting class was challenging because the seniors leaving at the end of the 2010 season have been program changers and four-year starters," said Mangrum. "They were my first opportunity to make a mark on this program, and they have all exceeded my expectations."

For more information on Lady Buccaneer softball, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.