Ball State University Athletics
Softball Signs Seven To National Letters Of Intent
November 21, 2011 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State head softball coach Craig Nicholson has signed seven standout student-athletes from around the country to national letters for the 2013 season.
Set to join the Cardinals next fall are Sammi Cowger (Fenton, Mich./Fenton H.S.), Briana Evans (Tulsa, Okla./Union H.S.), Sasha Margulies (San Diego, Calif./Westview H.S.), Selena Reyna (Houston, Texas/South Houston H.S.), Kelsey Schifferdecker (Belton, Mo./Belton H.S.), Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean H.S.) and Tiffani Taylor (Las Vegas, Nev./Las Vegas H.S.).
"This class is a combination of addressing some needs which will be created by graduation in May, most importantly in the circle, while adding depth and bringing in position players who will help our program continue to grow," said Nicholson. "This is a very athletic class with several players having the ability to play multiple positions. I believe we have not only recruited outstanding athletes, but high quality students who will do an outstanding job of representing the Ball State Softball program."
SAMMI COWGER
Cowger, a 5-5 utility player, is entering her senior season at Fenton High School where she plays for Coach Rick Bescoe. Recruited as a possible first baseman for the Cardinals, Cowger has helped guide the Tigers to a 55-49 record over her first three years, including a 23-13 record and a league championship title her junior year.
"Sammi is somebody that just loves to play this game," said Nicholson. "I believe that will pay big dividends for her over her career. She can play first base, outfield and has the ability to pitch. She is a very good athlete with a plus arm and very good speed. Offensively, she will provide left-handed power combined with the ability to drop a bunt or slap her way on base."
In her most-recent campaign, Cowger hit .446 with a .519 on-base percentage and a .679 slugging percentage. She also earned All-Metro League and all-district honors as a pitcher after posting a 15-5 record on the mound. As a sophomore, Cowger picked up all-league, all-district and all-region honors at first base after posting a .479 batting average, 29 stolen bases, a .526 on base percentage and a .672 slugging percentage. As a freshman, she was named second team all-league with a .382 batting average.
Cowger also played two season of volleyball at Fenton, helping guide the program to back-to-back league championships as a defensive specialist. In the spring of 2011, she played club softball for Compuware 18U, while she will join MI Athletics for the 2012 season. She is the daughter of Dave and Annette Cowger and maintains a 3.88 grade-point average at Fenton.
"I look forward to having the opportunity to play softball at the collegiate level with some of the best players and competition out there," said Cowger. "As soon as I stepped on campus, I loved the school and the people. I knew it was the right place for me. My impression of the Ball State softball program is that they work hard and want to be the best."
BRIANA EVANS
Evans, a 5-8 outfielder, is a four-year letterwinner in softball at Union High School for coach Jerry Pease. This past fall Evans helped guide the Redskins to a 40-4 overall record and an Oklahoma 6A State Fastpitch Championship.
"Briana will enter Ball State fresh off an Oklahoma State Championship this fall in high school," said Nicholson. "As a staff, we love to bring in players that have experienced success and strive to continue that. Briana is a leadoff-type hitter with tremendous speed, and has really started to develop some power to go with that speed. She has a plus arm in the outfield, and has the ability to change games offensively."
An all-district honoree in the outfield as a senior, Evans racked up a .507 batting average, 30 RBI and 12 multiple base hits this past season for Union. She also tallied a .533 on-base percentage, a .655 slugging percentage and 24 stolen bases her senior season. A two-time Academic Runner-up, Evans was named all-conference first team as a junior. As a sophomore, she helped guide her team to a Oklahoma 6A State Slowpitch Championship, as well as a 6A Academic State Slowpitch Championship.
Evans has also played club softball for the Tulsa Shootout Gold squad for the last two seasons. She has racked up a .515 batting average for her club team, while adding a .538 on-base percentage and a .677 slugging mark with eight multi-base hits in 99 at bats. She scored 29 runs, while driving in 13. Evans is the daughter of Gregg and Jackie Evans and maintains a 3.33 grade-point average.
"I look forward to being a part of the Ball State program and being able to play Division I softball at a great school," said Evans. "I chose Ball State because I felt like the program fit my style of play. I really liked the coaches and how well they worked together and how they interacted with the players. It was obvious they worked hard and had high expectations for winning, but also made it a fun environment."
SASHA MARGULIES
Margulies, a 5-9 catcher, is entering her senior season at Westview High School where she plays for Coach Kelly Petersen. A .400 career hitter, Margulies has helped guide the Wolverines to a 49-38-2 record over the first three years of her career, including a 17-9-2 record her sophomore season.
"Sasha is somebody with the ability to be a middle of the order type hitter and provide big time power in our lineup," said Nicholson. "She is a catcher with a very good arm that also has the ability to play first base. I think Sasha is very much a student of the game, and understands how she can be successful at the plate. As that ability continues to grow, I believe she will become an outstanding hitter."
As a junior, Margulies earned All-Palomar League accolades after finishing the season with a .360 batting average. A two-time Westview Offensive Most Valuable Player, she hit .440 as a sophomore while earning all-league and All-San Diego North County honors. As a freshman, she earned a mid-year call up to the varsity squad after batting .820 for the junior varsity squad. Her team advanced to the San Diego CIF semifinals her freshman season and to the quarterfinals her junior year.
Margulies has also played club softball for the past six years and is currently a member of the San Diego Fury. A three-time Allister On-Deck Futures participant, she helped guide her Renegades club team to the ASA USA Nationals in the 12U, 14U, and 16U divisions, while her 16U and 18U squads competed in the Premier Girls Fastpitch Nationals. As a member of the Cal Cruisers, her team won the Boulder Independence Day Tournament. She is the daughter of Daniel and Paula Margulies and maintains a 3.45 grade-point average at Westview.
"I am looking forward to experiencing the college student-athlete lifestyle," said Margulies. "I have spent my entire life playing softball and I'm ready to take the next big step and live what I've been working so hard for all these years. I knew Ball State was the perfect school for me the minute I set foot on campus. The softball program is great, but the school itself just fits me. It's a really nice campus with good academics and welcoming people."
SELENA REYNA
Reyna, a 5-3 shortstop, is entering her senior season at South Houston High School where she plays for Coach Johnathan Garcia. As a junior, Reyna was named to the 22-5A All-District First Team as an "open" player, after earning second team all-district honors at shortstop her first two seasons with the Trojans.
"Selena is what I would call a player's player," said Nicholson. "She is 100% effort all of the time and is a true competitor with outstanding skills to go with those intangibles. She is a middle infielder that can play on either side of the field, runs very well and has very good power. Her ability to play multiple positions gives us a lot of options with our lineup."
Reyna, who was also the setter for the South Houston girls volleyball team, is the daughter of Buddy Reyna and Susie Reyes.
"I am looking forward to playing with great players and accomplishing big goals with the team," said Reyna. "I picked Ball State because the campus was amazing and the people there made me feel comfortable. I was very impressed with the program. The staff does a lot for the players to help them succeed on and off the field."
KELSEY SCHIFFERDECKER
Schifferdecker, a 5-9 pitcher, is a four-year letterwinner at Belton High School for Coach Jeff Davis. A three-time team Most Valuable Player, Schifferdecker racked up a 73-16 pitching record over her career including a 25-3 mark her senior campaign. She led the Lady Pirates to four Suburban Mid-7 Conference Championships and three district titles, including Belton's first-ever district championship her freshman season.
"The thing that really sold me on Kelsey early on was her ability to locate and move the ball," said Nicholson. "On top of that she can really change speeds, and just understands how to get hitters out. She has had a great high school and club ball career and I expect her to build upon those successes when she gets to Ball State."
Schifferdecker finished her playing career at Belton with 37 shutouts, including 11 no-hitters and three perfect games. She recorded 895 career strikeouts, including a career-high 20 strikeouts in one game, while posting a 0.55 career earned-run average. A two-time Suburban Mid-7 Conference Player of the Year, Schifferdecker also earned all-conference, all-district and all-region honors all four seasons, while picking up first team all-state as a sophomore and second team all-state as a senior.
Schifferdecker has also helped guide her club team, the Originals Gold, to a 131-33 record over the past three seasons by racking up 899 strikeouts, 39 shutouts, seven no-hitters and one perfect game. Over her five-year club career, she has guided the Originals to over 20 tournament championships. She is the daughter of Mark and Nancy Schifferdecker and maintains a 4.218 grade-point average.
"I am looking forward to meeting new people, improving my pitching, and being able to play college ball in general," said Schifferdecker. "I chose Ball State because, as cliché as it sounds, it just felt right. I really like the coaches, players and campus; it all seems to fit me perfectly. What I like about the Ball State softball program is that the players all seem to have a great time, while still being competitive."
NICOLE STEINBACH
Steinbach, a 5-10 pitcher, is entering her senior season at Andrean High School where she plays for Coach Henry Ryan. In her first three seasons on the mound, Steinbach has compiled a 35-5 career record, including a 24-3 record as a junior. Her efforts also helped guide the 59ers to state runner-up finishes in 2009 and 2011.
"In my opinion, Nicole is the premier pitcher in the state of Indiana in her class," said Nicholson. "She is a power pitcher with the ability to pitch up and down in the zone and have success in both places. She also has an outstanding change to go with that ability. I also believe Nicole has the ability to contribute offensively. She has very good power and has really grown as a hitter in the last year."
In 27 games on the mound as a junior, Steinbach posted a 0.57 earned-run average of 180 innings of work while collecting 11 shutouts. She tallied 298 strikeouts while walking just 20 batters to earn first team All-Northwest Crossroads Conference, all-area, team Most Valuable Player and Northwest Indiana Times Player of the Year. She tallied a 0.51 ERA and 78 strikeouts as a sophomore, while posting a 0.18 ERA and 79 strikeouts as a freshman.
Steinbach has played two seasons of club softball for Team Indiana after playing five years for the Indiana Raiders. This spring, Steinbach's team placed 25th out of 262 teams at the ASA Nationals. They also earned an ASA State Runner-Up finish in 2011 and a Monster Mash Championship in 2010. She is the daughter of Fred and Helen Steinbach and owns a 3.52 grade-point average.
"I am looking forward to being able to make an immediate impact to an already successful program at Ball State," said Steinbach. "I really like the coaching staff and the way all the girls treat each other like a family. I think the entire team is dedicated to making the program successful and that is one of the reasons Ball State was at the top of my list when making my college choice."
TIFFANI TAYLOR
Taylor, who could be either a catcher or outfielder for the Cardinals, earned one letter in softball at Las Vegas High School for Coach Danielle Rumph. As a freshman for the Ranchos, Taylor was named to the all-league first team.
"Tiffani is a true five-tool player, which is very rare in our sport," said Nicholson. "Her combination of speed and power is outstanding and she has the ability to play many positions defensively. She is a very good defensive catcher, but might spend more time in the outfield to take advantage of her ability to run down balls, and her outstanding throwing arm."
