BATON ROUGE — With nine incoming players having signed National Letters of Intent to play for the nationally ranked LSU softball team next season, the new Tigers have been making plenty of news around the nation this summer.
The nine players, who represent six states stretching from Georgia to California, including two from Louisiana, have all signed to play for LSU beginning in the 2009 season. From east coast to west coast, the Tiger signees include Katie Hamilton from Acworth, Ga.; Katie Guillory of Carencro, La.; Courtney Hollier from Kaplan, La.; Morgan Russell from Edmond, Okla.; Baylor transfer Kirsten Shortridge of Keller, Texas; Brittney Mack of Round Rock, Texas; Ashley Langoni from Pueblo West, Colo.; Anissa Young from Fontana, Calif.; and Juliana Santos from Newman, Calif.
As a member of the Kell High School team in Marietta, Ga., Hamilton was named a first-team All-County selection by the Marietta Daily Journal. The team’s Most Valuable Player, the Longhorns won the Region 6-5A tournament and advanced to the sectional tournament.
The daughter of Tom and Erika Hamilton, her sister, Christie, is a pitcher for the University of Georgia softball team. Hamilton is a member of the Georgia Fire travel team, which finished tied for ninth at the 2006 Amateur Softball Association Gold tournament.
Guillory was a member of the 2008 Louisiana Class 5A all-state team out of Carencro High School. The speedy lefthander also played for the West squad in the 2008 School Coaches Association All-Star Doubleheader. She recorded a .425 batting average while slugging at a .600 clip at the plate as a senior.
A Louisiana all-state selection, Hollier was also named the state’s Most Valuable Player for Class 3A and the Daily Advertiser’s All-Acadiana MVP. A member of the Louisiana Softball Coaches Association All-Star team, she led Kaplan High School to the state tournament semi-finals last spring before the Pirates fell to Parkview Baptist.
The daughter of Carl and Julie Hollier, she is a member of the Louisiana Rebels travel ball team. When she was younger, Hollier earned Most Valuable Player honors of the Cal Ripken 9-10-year-old Boys District Tournament to lead the Kaplan All-Stars baseball team to a state tournament berth. She pitched all six innings of the district championship as a 10-year-old to beat the boys from Abbeville.
A catcher at Edmund Santa Fe High School, Russell helped the Wolves to the Oklahoma Class 6A state title game in 2006 and to win regional championships as a freshman and sophomore. A 2007 Oklahoma Fastpitch Coaches Association all-state selection, Russell culminated her high school career by playing in the Oklahoma Softball Coaches Association all-state game as a member of the Large West team.
The daughter of Brad and Angela Russell, she is a member of the Oklahoma Ultimate Gold travel team. Also an outstanding student, Russell carries a 3.5 grade point average and is a member of the Key Club, Young Live and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
With an appearance in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” already this summer, Mack was a first-team all-state, all-central Texas and all-Williamson County selection. She posted 18 wins with 338 strikeouts, six no-hitters and three perfect games in her senior campaign. Mack earned a spot in the Texas Girls Coaches Association All-Star game while leading Westwood High School to the Bi-District Championship.
The daughter of Scott and Janet, Mack is a member of the Stix travel team. She was a three-time Academic All-District selection, a member of the National Honor Society and National German Honor Society and named to the Who’s Who Among American High School Students.
Langoni earned first-team all-state honors in Colorado and played in the 52nd annual All-State Games. In the final weekend of her high school career, she hit a walk-off grand slam in the state playoffs to earn the final win of her career. She also posted a pair of hits in the all-star game as her Red team earned a 3-2 win. In 18 regular season games, she hit .585 with 15 extra base hits. The daughter of Robert and Terry, Langoni is a member of the Colorado Quicksilver travel team.
Earning all-state honors in the softball hotbed of California regardless of classification or year in school, Young joined future teammate Santos as two of the 30 members of the team. As a senior, she hit 14 home runs and finished her career with between 38 and 40 home runs, which may be the most for a career in the history of the state, but her freshman numbers are undetermined.
Named the Sunkist League Most Valuable Player for the third-straight year and Bloomington High School’s Female Athlete of the Year, Young carried a 3.1 grade point average and was a Principles Honor Roll selection. The daughter of Byron and Carla Young, Anissa is a member of the California Lite travel team and was the San Bernardino Sun’s Player of the Year and played in the San Bernardino/Riverside County Senior All-Star game.
In addition to joining Young on the all-state team, Santos was the Sacramento Bee’s Softball Player of the Year and the small school state Player of the Year. Despite battling Crohn’s Disease, Santos hit .667 as a senior and led her section with 55 RBIs on 21 doubles and 11 home runs. She led Orestimba High School to its second-straight Sac-Joaquin Section championship, winning its final 15 games to end the season.
The daughter of Yvette and Rafael, she is an outstanding student, who carried a 4.0 grade point average on a 5.0 scale. During the summer, she volunteers with her former pre-school teacher to help young children develop life skills and build character. She would like to become a pediatrician and specialize in Crohn’s Disease.