Louisville Softball Welcomes Five Newcomers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Louisville softball coach Holly Aprile has announced that five prospective student-athletes have signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Cardinals. Sydney Bickel, Mia Forsythe, Gabby Holloway, Vanessa Miller and Taryn Weddle will join the team in the fall of 2020.

"There are all kinds of reasons that my staff and I are so excited about this signing class," said Aprile. "This is a group with a diverse skill set that will both add to our depth and enhance our competitive level right away. This class helps us get stronger up in key positions as we continue to build a conference and national championship caliber team."

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Sydney Bickel
Hometown: Peoria, Ariz.
Position: Infielder
B/T: L/R
High School: Sunrise Mountain
Travel Team: Beverly Bandits

Sydney Bickel joins the Cardinals from Peoria, Arizona and is a four-year varsity starter for Sunrise Mountain High School which finished last season ranked No. 11 in the MaxPreps top 25 rankings after posting an 18-1 overall record. She also plays for the Beverly Bandits travel team.
     The infielder is a two-time all-conference selection, garnering first team honors last season after being selected to the second team in 2018. Bickell was named to the all-region first team during each of her seasons.

    In addition to softball, Bickell is also a three-year varsity starter in basketball. The two-time all-district selection earned Defensive Player of the Year honors as a junior and set a school record for points in a game with 34.
Sydney Bickel on the University of Louisville
"I picked Louisville because it gave me that 'home' feeling. I love the environment and the college town setting."

Mia Forsythe
Position: Outfielder
B/T: L/R
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
High School: Lebanon Trail
Travel Team: St. Louis Chaos

Mia Forsythe comes to Louisville from Frisco, Texas where she plays for Lebanon Trail High School and the St. Louis Chaos travel team.
     The outfielder is a 2019 all-district 9-5A first-team selection, was named the District Newcomer of the Year while earning Team MVP honors in 2019. As a freshman, she was selected as her team's Offensive MVP.
     In addition to softball, Forsythe has lettered in basketball. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has volunteered with the Best Buddies Program and the Special Olympics.

Mia Forsythe on the University of Louisville
"I chose Louisville because of the culture surrounding athletics and the softball coaching staff."

Gabby Holloway
Position: Pitcher
B/T: R/R
Hometown: Huntersville, N.C.
High School: Cannon School
Travel Team: South Carolina Elite 18U (Genovese)

Gabby Holloway joins the Cardinals from Huntersville, North Carolina, and plays for the Cannon School where she is a four-year member of the varsity softball team. She also plays for the South Carolina Elite 18U (Genovese) travel team.
     The right-handed pitcher is a three-time Charlotte Independent School Athletic Association (CISAA) all-conference and North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association all-state selection. Last season, she was named to the All-Observer Softball team by the Charlotte Observer after leading her team to the 2019 North Carolina Independent School 4A state title. As a junior, she posted a 9-2 record in the circle with 108 strikeouts, and registered .489 batting average with five homers.Her 2019 success came on the heels of her sophomore season in which she was named CISAA Player of the Year.
    As she enters her senior season, Holloway already owns the school record for career home runs, strikeouts and wins as a pitcher.
    In addition to her softball accomplishments, Holloway is also a four-time all-conference selection in tennis.
Gabby Holloway on the University of Louisville
"I chose Louisville because it has a kind, but competitive atmosphere that surrounds it and is the perfect mix between a hometown and a big-city feel."

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Vanessa Miller
Position: Outfielder
B/T: L/R
Hometown: Southport, Ind.
High School: Southport
Travel Team: Indiana Magic Gold

Vanessa Miller comes to Louisville from Southport, Indiana where she plays for Southport High School and the Indiana Gold travel team.
The outfielder has earned all-county honors in each of her three seasons on the varsity team and is a two-time all-conference honoree. In 2019, she was named to the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association (ICGSA) all-state second team and earned an honorable mention for the 2019 ALL–USA IndyStar Softball Super Team after her junior season.
She is also a standout volleyball player, holding the school records for career and single season assists.
Vanessa Miller on the University of Louisville
"I choose Louisville because, growing up, I always knew I wanted to be kind of close to home. The city has that hometown feel that I grew up in, and I couldn't give up the opportunity to be a Louisville Cardinal.

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Taryn Weddle
Position: Catcher
B/T: R/R
Hometown: Georgetown, Ind.
High School: Floyd Central
Travel Team: Fusion Elite

Taryn Weddle makes the short trip to Louisville from nearby Georgetown, Indiana, where she plays for Floyd Central High School and the Fusion Elite travel team.
The catcher is a 2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association second team All-American and first team all-region selection. She was named the News and Tribune Softball Player of the Year and all-area team member after an impressive junior season in which she batted .495 with a school-record 18 home runs and 50 RBIs.
Weddle also earned 2019 ICGSA all-state first team honors and was a Hoosier Hill all-conference selection and Louisville Courier Journal all-metro team member.
Taryn Weddle on Louisville
"I chose UofL because of the hometown high-energy atmosphere, the great facilities and the fans."

University of Louisville Athletics

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