Wayne State softball coach Shelli Manson announced that five high school student-athletes have signed national letters of intent during the NCAA early signing period to attend Wayne State College and play softball for the Wildcats in the 2017-18 school year.
The list includes Brittaney Benavidez of Queen Creek, Ariz.; Annie Grammer of Lawrence, Kan.; Ashley Hernandez of Omaha, Maddie Moser of Central City and Raquell Penke from Blair.
Benavidez is a 5-foot-5 middle infielder from Queen Creek High School in Arizona where she is a four-year starter and letterwinner in softball. She posted batting averages of .324 with 14 RBI’s as a junior and hit .350 during her freshman season to earn All-Section Second Team honors.
“Brittaney plays for a very competitive travel ball organization in Arizona,” said Manson. “She is an infielder with great pop off her bat and has very good speed. Her club and high school experience will help her be successful at Wayne State.”
Grammer is a 5-foot-3 infielder from Lawrence High School in Kansas. She is a four-year starter and letterwinner and also plays club ball for the KC Peppers-Wallace team in the summer. As a junior, Grammer hit .357 while earning All-Sunflower League honorable mention honors.
“Annie is a versatile infielder with good power and speed,” remarked Manson. “Her willingness to play anywhere and work hard are two great attributes that will help her succeed at our level. We look for her to add depth to our middle infield along with bringing a consistent bat to our lineup.”
Hernandez is a 5-foot-4 third baseman/infielder from Millard North High School where she was a three-year starter and letterwinner. She has played on three Class A state tournament teams that include this year’s third place team that was 24-10 and finished fifth in the final Class A Rankings. Hernandez was a Class A All-State honorable mention selection this season for the Mustangs and named to the Metro Coaches All-Academic Team. She finished her high school career with a .397 average, recording 14 home runs, 107 hits and 80 runs scored in three years.
“Ashley is a solid infielder with very good range and a strong arm,” Manson commented. “Her work ethic is second to none and will take her far as a Wildcat. She has a lot of power in her bat that will work well in our lineup.”
Moser is a 5-foot-9 pitcher from Central City High School where she is a four-year starter in softball along with two years in basketball. This season, Moser had a 23-10 record in the circle with 271 strikeouts, a 1.25 ERA and six no-hitters to earn Class C first-team All-State honors while helping Central City reach the Class C state tournament. She was a Class C second-team All-State selection as a junior and helped Central City reach state twice during her career. Moser set numerous school records at Central City and finished with nine career no-hitters.
“Maddie is a power pitcher who has great command of the strike zone,” added Manson. “She has good movement and change of speed. She will add power to the rotation and is fearless against any opponent. Maddie’s dedication and willingness to work hard will help elevate her game to the next level.”
Penke is a 5-foot-6 catcher/third baseman at Blair High School where she started all four years in softball. She posted a .418 batting average during her senior season, helping Blair to a 16-9 record and No. 7 ranking in Class B while earning Class B All-State honorable mention honors. Penke was an Academic All-Conference selection and finished her high school career with a .372 batting average.
“Raquell is a great leader and fantastic teammate,” stated Manson. “Her primary position is catcher where her leadership skills will be used daily. She has a strong arm and blocking skills that will make her an asset to our team. Raquell has good power in her bat and will be a consistent hitter for us in the lineup.”
Wayne State finished the 2016 season with a record of 27-26 overall and finished fifth in the NSIC with a 21-9 league mark. It was a school-record 10th straight winning season for the Wildcats.
