BATON ROUGE — LSU softball head coach Yvette Girouard has received four letters of intent during the early signing period that began Wednesday. Leigh Ann Danos, Lauren Delahoussaye, Camille Harris and Leslie Klein are all expected to make their mark on the diamond as they join the Tigers.
“Our coaching staff could not be more pleased with our second signing class of exceptional student-athletes, highly talented softball players, great human beings and world class parents,” said Girouard. “We are getting the ‘whole package’ with these signees. LSU competed with some of the finest programs in the country to land these players, which include two of the best from Louisiana, one from Florida and one from Tennessee.”
Danos, a catcher, finished her career with a .432 batting average, 10 home runs and 139 RBI. She received her third straight first team All State honor and was named the state’s MVP after batting .398 her junior season with five home runs and 38 RBI. She was also played for the Katy Cruisers national championship team.
“No, question, Leigh Ann is one of the premier catchers in the country,” said Girouard. She will be an incredible force behind the plate.”
Danos will have an immediate impact since she is scheduled to graduate from Katy Taylor High School on Dec. 20 and enroll in LSU and be eligible to play with the 2002 Tigers. Danos recently moved to Houston with her family from Lafayette where she was a member of the St. Thomas More Class 4A state championship team last season.
“I watched Leigh Ann in Lafayette for many years and cherished the day I could recruit her,” said Giroaurd. “She will have a major impact for the Tigers starting this season, giving us the added advantage of already having caught Kristin Schmidt in summer ball. She is a 4.0 student with truly purple and gold parents as her father, Joe, is a graduate of LSU.”
Also from Lafayette, Delahoussaye will add depth to the Tigers’ infield. The Teurlings Catholic Lady Rebel shortstop led her team to back-to-back state Class 3A titles hitting .419 with four home runs, 24 RBI and 38 runs scored. Delahoussaye was named an all-state selection for her junior campaign. Delahoussaye is a member of the Louisiana Reflections Gold coached by Michael Lotief.
“Lauren is another exceptional student athlete out of the Lafayette area who is also a 4.0 student,” said Girouard. “She possesses a cannon for an arm and potentially a ton of pop to her bat. She is a versatile athlete having played shortstop, second base and outfield.
“Lauren will fill April Janzen’s role as the utility player on the team that can truly play any position. Lauren is a role-model type young lady in every sense of the word, who will have a great career for the Tigers.”
From Hendersonville, Tenn., Harris will help fill the void in to the LSU outfield which lost four-year starter Dee Douglas to graduation last year and will see Trena Peel and Aleshia Perry play end their careers in 2002. Harris played both centerfield and shortstop at Beech High School and helped lead her team to the Class 3A state title. As a junior she hit .474 with two home runs, 43 RBI and 22 stolen bases. Harris also stole 20 bases as a sophomore.
“Camille is the Tigers’ version of Pete Rose, hustling and making things happen on the softball field,” said Girouard. “Camille will fill many roles for the LSU program. She is capable of playing infield and outfield.”
Harris is also a member of the 18-and-under Tennessee Fire and Smoke that captured the state title. She also played for the T.E. Elite Gold that finished with a national ranking of 13. Harris hit .522 in summer ball last summer.
“Camille’s heart was set on being a Tiger as she cancelled all other visits that she had,” Girouard continued. “She will be fun to watch because she is small in structure but packs a punch. She will delight fans with her dedication.”
LSU’s fourth signee, Klein, hails from Sunrise, Fla. As member of the South Plantation High School team, she helped her team make a regional appearance and was named to the All-Broward County and All-South Florida first teams.
“Leslie is dynamite in a small body,” said Girouard. “She is one of the purest hitters in the state of Florida and can be a triple threat at the plate with her stick. Klein adds another lefty to the lineup that can do it all.”
In centerfield for South Plantation, Klein hit .396 her sophomore season and improved to .576 at the end of her junior season. She also finished
her junior season in the top five nationally in RBI, home runs, runs scored and stolen bases.
“I have watched her for three years and always walked away impressed,” Girouard continued. “Leslie will be a great addition to our program. She always seems to make big things happen for her team and has wanted to be a Tiger for some time.”
The Tigers expect to add two more signees during this signing period that ends on Nov. 21. LSU will begin its 2002 campaign with the Tiger Classic on February 8-10 at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge.