Softball Signs Three
November 14, 2005 | Softball
Nov. 14, 2005
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- - University of Louisville softball coach Sandy Pearsall has announced that Melissa Roth, Kristen Wadwell and Brittany York have signed National Letters-of-Intent to continue their softball careers at the University of Louisville in the fall of 2006.
"We're excited to have Melissa, Kristen and Brittany join our program next year," said Pearsall. "Each player brings not only talent, but also a great deal of enthusiasm to Cardinal softball. This class will continue to help build our program into a nationally recognized power."
Roth, a catcher/outfielder from Lakewood, Calif., plays for Long Beach Polytechnic High where she is a three-time All-Moore League first team member and an All-California Interscholastic Federation second team member. She earned Most Valuable Player and Best Offensive Player honors as a junior and was named Best Defensive Player in as a sophomore. Roth also plays for the Worth Firecrackers Gold ASA travel team which won the nationally prestigious Champion Cup in Irvine, Calif., and the Colorado Fireworks Tournament in Aurora, Colo., in 2005. She also considered Michigan State, North Carolina and Tennessee.
"Melissa comes to us with great travel ball experience, playing with one of the top Gold teams in the country," said Pearsall. "She has very solid catching experience and is definitely a leader in the infield."
Wadwell, a pitcher/first baseman from Sydney, Australia, plays for the North Shore Softball Association and has been a member of the National Women's Squad and a New South Wales Gold Tier 2 athlete for the past two years. She earned the Best Pitcher Award at the 2005 U19 National Championships. In 2004, Wadwell was named MVP of the U19 National Championship and was the NSW Softball Association Youth Female Softballer of the Year winner. While competing in the U16 National Championships in 2003, she earned the Best Pitcher Award, MVP and was on the National Battery Development Squad. She also considered Arizona, Columbia, Georgia, Princeton and UCLA.
"We are looking for great things from Kristen, she is a powerful pitcher who will really excel in the college softball game," said Pearsall. "Offensively, Kristen has the potential to be a tremendous power hitter as well."
York, a first baseman/outfield/pitcher at Greenwood High School in Bowling Green, Ky., also plays travel ball for the Kentucky Blitz and the ASA U18 National Champion Louisville Lady Sluggers. She is a two-time All-State first team member and a four-time member of the Regional All-Tournament Team. She was also member of the Kentucky Junior All-Stars in 2005. York is a three time District All-Tournament team member, earning tournament MVP honors in 2004 and 2005. York is also a three-time All-Region Seasonal team member. She also considered Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky and Western Kentucky.
"Brittany is a very talented hitter, who will help us replace some of the offense we will lose in this year's senior class," said Pearsall. "She is a great athlete and we feel her best softball is ahead of her."
The Cards start the 2006 season Feb. 10-12 in Tallahassee, Fla., at Florida State's Early Bird Tournament. Louisville returns 12 letterwinners from last year's record-setting season in which they won their first Conference USA regular season title, finished runner-up in the league tournament and earned their second consecutive at-large bid to the NCAA tournament team.
