SFA Softball Adds Five in Early Signing Period
11/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin head softball coach Gay McNutt has announced that five recruits have signed National Letters of Intent to become Ladyjacks next year. The group of 2016-17 freshmen committed during the first three days of the early signing period, which officially began on Wednesday.
The talented all-Texas incoming class is made up of outfielder Katie Clark from Katy (Katy HS), outfielder Brittany Crawford from League City (Clear Springs HS), outfielder/middle infielder Heather Davis from New Caney (New Caney HS), third baseman Julissa Dueñas from Bellaire (Bellaire HS) and pitcher/utility player Hanna Rebar from San Antonio (Holmes HS).
"I am so excited about this recruiting class,” said McNutt. “We are losing four great players after this year, and these newcomers have some huge shoes to fill with the expectations being extremely high. If I had to do it all over again, I would choose the same five players to replace them. They are highly skilled, fast and powerful. We are looking forward to their addition as our program continues to get better and better.”
Katie Clark • OF • L/L • Katy, Texas • Katy HS
With the loss of all three SFA starting outfielders after the 2016 season, Clark will be called upon to step into a big role right away. If her high school achievements are any indication, she will be more than up for the task. The lefty helped her Katy High School team win a state championship last season and played her way onto the All-State Tournament Team as a centerfielder. Clark was awarded First Team All-District outfield honors over the last two seasons as well.
Brittany Crawford • OF • R/R • League City, Texas • Clear Springs HS
Crawford will also look to keep up SFA’s reputation as the best defensive outfield in the Southland Conference when she suits up as a freshman next year. The outfielder boasts a strong softball IQ and maturity level that will make her an asset to the team right away. Last year she was tabbed All-District Honorable Mention with an impressive .349 batting average. Crawford is a three-time all-academic team honoree, a Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society inductee and is also active at Clear Springs High School as Student Council Vice President.
Heather Davis • OF/INF • L/R • New Caney, Texas • New Caney HS
Davis brings her talents to SFA after experiencing a tremendous amount of success at the high school ranks. A player that can play in the outfield as well as man the middle infield positions, Davis is coming off a junior season in which she earned all-state recognition. She was her district’s MVP and Offensive Player of the Year while also getting it done in the classroom as an academic all-district selection. The New Caney native garnered first team all-district honors during each of the last two seasons and was a defensive MVP as a sophomore in 2014.
Julissa Dueñas • 3B • R/R • Bellaire, Texas • Bellaire HS
Coming from a high school squad that has won district championships in each of the last three years, Dueñas will look to keep the winning tradition going when she joins the Ladyjacks next fall. After getting the second team nod on the all-district team as a freshman, Dueñas has been a First Team All-District selection in back-to-back seasons to help her team become a regional finalist (2014) and an area finalist (2015). The third baseman is a National Slava Honor Society member.
Hanna Rebar • P/UTL • R/R • San Antonio, Texas • Holmes HS
Rebar is the lone pitching prospect among the 2016-17 incoming class, joining current sophomores Callee Guffey and Makayla Sikes and junior Brittany Lewis on the Ladyjack pitching staff. In her prep career, Rebar has received First Team All-District recognition both as a pitcher and a shortstop. She was honored as Freshman of the Year in 2013 and has also been a second team all-academic pick.
The Ladyjacks recently concluded their non-traditional fall season with a perfect 4-0 record and will now turn their attention to the 2016 slate that begins in February. SFA will start the year at the ULM Mardi Gras Tournament in Monroe, Louisiana from February 12-14 with games against Seton Hall, Prairie View A&M, Grambling and ULM. For updates on the Ladyjacks all year round, follow the team on Twitter (@SFA_Softball).
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