Ball State University Athletics
Softball Signs Ali Mercado to National Letter of Intent
July 22, 2010 | Softball
Ali Mercado, a graduate of Arizona Western Junior College who was a National Junior College Athletic Association All-Region selection and graduated with academic honors, has signed a national letter of intent to attend Ball State University and compete on the softball team, according to head coach Craig Nicholson.
"Ali has played infield and outfield and possesses great speed," Nicholson says. "She will be an integral part of our program as we move forward. Ali is a gifted softball player, and at the same time has proven herself in the classroom. We are looking forward to her joining the Ball State softball program this fall."
In her second season at Arizona Western, Mercado batted .408 with 30 stolen bases, 54 runs scored, 73 hits and 42 runs-batted-in. In addition to her all-region selection as a shortstop, she was named to the all-conference second team. In her initial season at Arizona Western, Mercado batted .431 with 18 stolen bases and four home runs, while playing right field. She received academic honors from the NJCAA in each of her two seasons at Arizona Western.
Mercado is a 2008 graduate of Rancho Verde High School where she competed for head coach Maria Gonzalez. As the starting shortstop her senior season, Mercado was the school's Most Valuable Player and Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She was named to the all-conference first team in each of her last three seasons after earning second-team honors as a freshman. As a junior, Mercado was selected the school's Defensive Player of the Year.
She also captained the tennis team as a senior, was the conference MVP for tennis as a junior and was all-league in tennis two seasons.
A 3.93 honors student in high school, Mercado graduated from Arizona Western with an honors degree and a 3.93 GPA. She managed a perfect 4.0 GPA in three of four semesters at Arizona Western.
