SFU Softball Inks Five High School Standouts To National Letters of Intent
LORETTO, Pa. (Dec. 10, 2007) – Christmas came early for Saint Francis softball head coach Sabrina Lane, who announced a stellar class of five student-athletes who have signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Red Flash beginning with the 2009 season.
Cassie Emerson (Lincoln, Calif. / Lincoln), Courtney Francis (Jefferson, Ohio / Jefferson), Megan Layne (Vallejo, Calif. / Rodriguez), Katelyn McMellen (Ashtabula, Ohio / Edgewood), and Kendell Taylor (Modesto, Calif. / Modesto Christian) will enter the Saint Francis University Class of 2012.
“I am very excited that all of the recruiting we did this summer is paying off with an excellent class that will be joining the Red Flash softball family,” Lane said. “I am very excited to have the opportunity to coach such great individuals who should help get us to the next level in the NEC along with our returning players.”
Cassie Emerson, a middle infielder and outfielder, is a an outstanding student and softball standout from the California Breeze, and is teammates with classmate Megan Layne. Emerson is expected to make an immediate impact in the middle infield, where she hit .350 and had a .975 fielding percentage this past season. She will be a four-year softball letterwinner for Lincoln High School, for which she was a Pioneer All-League Team Captain in 2007. She was an honorable mention all-league player as a freshman and sophomore, and has excelled in the classroom as a scholar-athlete/honor roll student from 2004-07. She was also an SBLT member from 2006-07.
“Cassie comes with a lot of experience,” said Lane, who is entering her second season at the helm of the Red Flash. “She should be ready to play right away. I am really looking forward to coaching her. She is very energetic and brings a lot to our program.”
Courtney Francis is a catcher/utility player from Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Ohio. Another excellent student, Francis is on pace to graduate ranked No. 1 in her class. Francis, who has lettered three years in cross country, basketball and softball, heading into her 2008 softball season, excels at throwing out would-be base stealers. She is expected to compete for playing time at catcher, as well as add depth at all other positions on the field.
“Courtney is going to help us out at many positions when she arrives on campus,” Lane said. “Not only will she bring her skills as a catcher, but she brings a knowledge of the entire playing field and will help to add depth throughout our lineup. You can tell how much she loves playing the game just by spending five minutes with her.”
Megan Layne, a member of the National Honor Society, is a summer teammate of Emerson on the California Breeze gold team. The Rodriguez High School standout pitcher can also play in the infield. Layne had a stellar junior year while striking out 90 batters and walking just 15 in 69.2 innings of work. She was a Scholar Athlete as a sophomore and junior, and was an SCAC All-League Honorable Mention as a junior. Layne has a 4.22 grade-point-average and is ranked fifth in her class. Layen’s sister Katie played softball at the University of Wisconsin.
“Megan will contribute greatly to the future of the Red Flash softball program,” Lane said. “She comes from a great softball area, and hopefully can help bring us to the next level.”
Katelyn McMellen is a middle infielder from Edgewood High School, who will help add depth to the middle infield. A speedy, left-handed slap hitter, McMellen will help with the running game. Another excellent student, she carries a 4.0 GPA and will enter Saint Francis in the Physical Therapy program. McMellen was first-team all-Ohio and all-district, the NEC Player-of-the-Year, and her team MVP as a junior. She helped lead the Warriors to a 23-3 record, a regional championship, and an Ohio Final Four appearance. She hit .600, had 18 stolen bases and had a .982 fielding percentage. Another multi-sport athlete, McMellen has lettered three seasons in volleyball, four years in basketball, and will earn her fourth letter in softball during her upcoming senior season. During her junior season, McMellen was an all-state honorable mention and team MVP on the Edgewood girl’s basketball team. She was recently named the team MVP and NEC Player-of-the-Year on her high school girl’s volleyball team. McMellen is a National Honor Society President.
“It’s so great to recruit a quality player who grew up in the same area that I did,” Lane said. “I am excited and I hope that Katie is the first of many players that I can bring in from Northeast Ohio.”
Kendell Taylor is the third member of Lane’s recruiting class to join Saint Francis from the softball hotbed of California. Taylor is a pitcher and first baseman from Modesto Christian High School, who is ranked at the top of her academic class. She is a three-time all-league first team honoree, a two-time all-district first team selection, as well as a two-time all-California Small School honoree. She was the MVP of the Trans Valley League in 2007. Taylor led her district in RBIs in 2005 and 2006, and has posted a 40-6 record as a pitcher with a 0.86 ERA over the past two seasons. She helped lead the Crusaders to a Trans Valley League championship in 2007 with a 28-6 record, and also played a pivotal role in the team’s Southern League titles in 2005 and 2006. She is a three-time Scholar Athlete, and a member of the National Honor Society.
“Kendell will be a great addition to our program,” Lane said. “She will be an impact player from the moment she steps on campus. She also brings with her the experience of playing at the gold level, and I am really looking forward to coaching her.”