Wolverines Sign Five to National Letters of Intent
11/11/2020 6:27:00 PM
// Leah Howard
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball team received National Letters of Intent from five student-athletes during the early signing period, head coach Carol Hutchins announced Wednesday (Nov. 11). The quintet -- pitcher Emerson Aiken, pitcher Lauren Derkowski, infielder/outfielder Ella McVey, outfielder Ellie Sieler and infielder/pitcher Annabelle Widra -- will join the Wolverines next fall and make their collegiate debut during the 2022 softball season. The group was tabbed the nation's No. 11 recruiting class by Extra Inning Softball.
"I'm excited about this class," said Hutchins. "They're all great Michigan Women, who really embrace everything that Michigan is about. Some of them have been committed for as long as three years, and we've been eagerly waiting for them to arrive -- and I think they're hungry to get here. There is a lot of high-level experience with this group, with three national champions from last summer, and I think a lot of great softball IQ and leadership abilities. They're athletic and versatile. So, we're very excited about them all, and I think they'll do quite well in our program."
Aiken, a Henrico, Va. native, was named her state's 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year and earned 2019 all-state honors as a right-handed pitcher for Glen Allen High School after posting an 18-3 record as a sophomore with a 0.43 earned-run average and 304 strikeouts over 144 innings pitched. Playing travel ball with the Mojo club, she contributed to back-to-back Junior Olympic Cup national titles and was named 2020 All-Summer Team by Extra Inning Softball with an 11-2 mark, 1.67 ERA and 49 strikeouts. She is the nation's No. 26-ranked prospect, and 15th-ranked pitcher, according to Extra Inning Softball.
"Emerson was a national champion this past summer," said Hutchins. "She is really competitive. She's going to come in and be on a mission and flourish under [pitching coach] Jen Brundage. I can't tell you how excited we are about Emerson's addition to our program. She's an incredibly compassionate and thoughtful kid, and I think she will be an outstanding leader."
Derkowski, a native of Elmhurst, Ill., is a two-time all-state and all-area selection as a right-handed pitcher for York Community High School and was named a 2018 MaxPreps Freshman All-American after helping lead York to a fourth-place state finish. She owns a career 1.43 ERA with 497 strikeouts over two prep seasons. She plays travel ball with Mojo and contributed to a USA Junior Olympic Cup title last summer, with 234 strikeouts over 160 innings pitched. She is the nation's No. 16 prospect, and the 11th-ranked pitcher, according to Extra Inning Softball.
"We love our Chicagoland kids, and Lauren is the next in that great tradition," said Hutchins. "She's played very competitive ball with a couple different organizations and was a part of a national championship last summer. We've seen her trajectory just take off over the last year, and we think she can definitely make a big impact on our pitching staff."
McVey, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, was named the 2019 PGF 18U National Tournament MVP after helping her Iowa Premier Fastpitch club captured the team championship. A middle infielder and outfielder at Dowling Catholic High School, she owns a career batting average of .500 and, as a sophomore, posted 71 runs and 56 stolen bases through 85 games. Off the field, McVey is a two-time all-conference honorable mention selection in basketball for Dowling Catholic. She is the nation's No. 44-ranked recruit, and 36th-ranked infielder, according to Extra Inning Softball.
"Ella is an exceptional athlete," said Hutchins. "She's versatile and can play middle infield and outfield for us. She has great speed, and we're looking forward to that speed. We've had her in the fold for three years; I feel like she's part of the team already. She's been excited about Michigan since the day she committed, and we're equally excited about her."
Sieler, a native of Monroe, Mich., was named the 2019 Monroe County Player of the Year and an all-state selection as an outfielder for Monroe High School. She owns .568 career batting average and, as a sophomore, boasted a 42-game hitting streak -- the second-longest streak in Michigan history. Off the field, she is a two-time all-state honorable mention and three-time all-conference and all-region honoree in basketball. She is the nation's No. 101-ranked recruit, and 45th-ranked outfielder, according to Extra Inning Softball.
"We're losing some outfielders after this year, so Ellie can help fill a definite need," said Hutchins. "She is a true outfielder, and she's incredibly athletic -- her athleticism is through the roof. She's a Michigan kid, who bleeds maize and blue. Her aunt played here with Bonnie Tholl, which is just a fun tidbit. We expect her to come in and get bigger and stronger, and we feel like she's got a really high ceiling."
Widra, a native of Hoover, Ala. -- the first ever Wolverine softball player from the state -- has earned multiple All-America accolades, including first-team nods from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and Extra Inning Softball as a pitcher and utility player in 2019, when she posted a 1.33 ERA with 237 strikeouts in 137 innings and a .504 batting average with 72 hits, 70 RBI and 32 stolen bases. She is a three-time Gatorade Player of the Year nominee and twice named to the Alabama Sports Writers All-State team. Last summer, she helped her Birmingham Thunderbolts club team capture the USA 18U Gold Nationals crown. Widra is the nation's No. 8-ranked recruit, and sixth-ranked infielder, according to Extra Inning Softball.
"Annabelle was our most recent commit in the class -- a year ago on signing day, as she reminded me," said Hutchins. "She's very highly regarded, especially by us, and she's versatile, athletic and fast. She also runs track and does the 4x100, so she's got great speed. I also think she's a legitimate D-I pitcher. She's an impact player, without a doubt, and we're excited for her to come in and make an impact."
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Wolverines Sign Five to National Letters of Intent - MGoBlue
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