Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami Announces 2008 Recruiting Class
11/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 15, 2007
OXFORD - Miami head coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly has announced her 2008 recruiting class. She had this to say about the incoming class, "I am thrilled to announce the signing of the 2008 recruiting class. We combed our region to find the best athletes that fit our needs and could not be more excited with the young ladies we are adding to the program. Each of the student-athletes brings something unique to our program, but what they all share is that they have won championships throughout their high school careers. They know how to compete and win at the highest level. They understand the commitment necessary to win a championship and also show that same commitment in the classroom. That is a unique blend we look for at Miami."
Below is an in depth look at each of the athletes:
LAUREN ODOM Position: Outfield Hometown: Villa Rica, GA (Alexander High School)
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: 2006 Douglas County Sentinel Player of the Year. . . Four-year varsity starter. . . Member of All-State Team (twice), All-Region Team (three times), and All-County Team (four times). . . Tabbed by Atlanta newspapers as one of Georgia's "Big Time Hitters". . . Plays summer ball with Georgia Fire Gold. . . Member of Alexander High School's 2007 Region Championship team. . . Two-year letter winner with Track and Field team, specializing in the pole vault event. . . Was the 2006 County Champion in pole vaulting. . . Has earned Honor Roll status for four consecutive years with a GPA of 3.6. . . Plans on majoring in Pre-Med
2007 High School Statistics: BA - .480 OBP - .525 HR - 4 RBI - 37 SB - 27 Fielding % - 1.000
2007 Travel Statistics: BA - .450 OBP - .500 HR - 11 RBI - 45 SB - 24 Fielding % - 1.000
"Lauren is a tough, hard-nosed athlete. She has tremendous bat speed and a power packed swing. She will most likely find herself in the outfield in college. She has good range and a tremendous arm. She is also the type of player that thrives under pressure. We hope that she will find a home in the middle of our batting order, driving in runs."
KATIE OSBURN Position: Utility Hometown: Plymouth, MI (Cabrini High School)
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Holds national records with least runs allowed in one season (1) and lowest ERA in one season (0.04). . . Featured in Sports Illustrated Faces in the Crowd segment. . . Member of 2006 and 2007 Michigan State Championship teams. . . Has won 74 consecutive games (39 in 2006, 35 in 2007). . . Earned Second-Team All-American honors in 2007. . . Two-time member of the All-State, All-Catholic, All-League, All-District, All-Region and All-Metro teams. . . Competes with Michigan Finesse Summer Ball Team. . . Co-President of Cabrini's National Honor Society. . . Earned Honor Roll status with a 3.80 GPA. . . Earned the Sister Modesta Award
2007 High School Statistics: BA - .485 Hits - 50 Doubles - 16 Home Runs - 6 ERA - 0.04
"Katie will be the most versatile player we will have on our roster next year. Not only can she pitch for us, she can hit, steal bases and play both infield and outfield. When you have a multi-talented athlete with acute game sense like Katie, it gives you so many options. She is one of those gritty players that will do anything to win. She has had a lot of success in her career and I would love to see that continue at Miami."
JORDAN McELROY Position: Outfield Hometown: Marion, AR (Marion High School)
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Member of All-State Team, All-Conference Team (twice), All-State Tournament Team, All-Arkansas Team and All-Metro Team. . . Played on 4A State Championship team (2006) AND 6A Conference Championship team (2007). . .Earned All-State honors in basketball (2007). . . Two-time member of All-Conference Team in basketball and volleyball. . . Won 2006 AFA U18 National Championship while playing for the Germantown Red Devils Gold travel team. . .Earned Honor Roll status with a 3.9 GPA
2007 High School Statistics: BA - .483 OBP - .600 Runs - 43 SB - 17
"What a great find for Miami softball! Jordan is a speedy outfielder that hits, slaps and bunts from the left side. I look for Jordan to be a catalyst for our offense. Whenever I saw her play, she was always in the middle of a rally, finding ways to help her team score and would dive into the fence to catch a ball. She has a spunky attitude and contagious love for the game."
JESSICA SIMPSON Position: Pitcher Hometown: North Canton, OH (Hoover High School)
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Honored as the 2007 Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year . . . Member of the First-Team All Federal League in '05, '06 and `07 . . . Named the Federal League Player of the Year in '06 and `07 . . . Earned First-Team All-State (Division 1) honors in 2006-07. . . Member of 2006 and 2007 Federal League Championship Teams . . . Played on Division 1 State Championship Team in 2006. . . Plays for Ohio Grand Slam Travel Ball Team, finishing 11th in 16U ASA `A' Nationals (2005), 3rd in 18U ASA `A' Nationals (2006) and 9th in 18U ASA `A' Nationals (2007) . . . Member of National Honor Society and Quill & Scroll . . . Four-time Academic Letter Winner. . . Plans to major in Business with an emphasis on Accounting . . . Currently holds a 3.96 GPA
Career Statistics: Wins - 72 Losses - 9 Strikeouts - 794 ERA - 0.40
2007 High School Statistics: Wins - 27 Losses - 2 Strikeouts - 307 ERA - 0.33
"In my opinion, Jessica is one of the elite pitchers to come out in the 2008 recruiting class. She is a dominating pitcher that can throw a lot of innings and has a nice combination of speed and movement. She has had good coaching along the way to teach her mechanics, but what makes her so tough is that personal drive she has from within. With both parents being alums, I love that she understands the tradition at Miami.
DANI TORRES Position: Third Base/Utility Hometown: Harwood Heights, IL (Lane Tech College Prep High School)
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Named one of the Top-100 All Area players by the Chicago Sun-Times. . . Member of Illinois Chill Summer Ball Team. . .Was a pick-up player for the Illinois Southern Force Gold Summer Team that took seventh-place at the 2007 Gold National Championships. . . Hit .425, good for second on her travel ball team. . . Member of National Honor Society. . . Academically ranked in the top five per cent of students at Lane Tech (50/842). . . Planning to major in Journalism. . . Holds a 4.3 GPA
2007 High School Statistics: BA - .477 OBP - .625 Hits - 41 Doubles - 5 Triples - 2 Home Runs - 9 RBI - 43 SB - 15
"Dani brings many assets to our team. Her glove work is amongst the strongest I have seen. She will hit for power during her career. What really excites me about Dani is that she knows the game so well. She is a charismatic kid and her love of the game can't help but be noticed. She has a nice combination of being scrappy, yet composed. She will most likely play on the corners for us during her career."
