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BYU Ready to Begin New Chapter in 2000
First-year softball program strengthened by 11 transfer student-athletes. (1/19)
Jan. 20, 2000 The anticipation has been mounting since last February, when BYU president Merrill J. Bateman announced the existing club softball team at BYU would be upgraded to an NCAA sanctioned team. A year later, the wait is finally over, as the first varsity softball team takes the field led by several seasoned transfers and a crop of young talent. Outfielder Emily Fernley is the lone holdover from the club team at BYU, while the rest of the team consists of an astounding 11 transfer athletes and 8 freshmen. The pitching tandem of Maryon Dewitt and Meghann Pricer anchor the squad as it begins its inaugural season. Dewitt pitched 411 innings in two years at Ricks College, allowing just 61 runs for a 1.015 ERA. Dewitt finished with a won-loss record of 50-12 (.806) while posting 21 shutouts and striking out 368. Dewitt led the Ricks team to a 1997 national runner-up finish and a third place national showing in 1998. Pricer, a native of California, pitched for national powerhouse University of Arizona for two years before transferring to BYU. Pricer saw limited action as an underclassman, but pitched 21 2/3 innings for a 2-0 record and an ERA of 2.91. Pricer struck out 12 while walking six, and turned out an impressive showing in last fall's exhibition season as a Cougar. "Maryon and Meghann will be key players to our team this season," head coach Mary Kay Amicone said. Catching Dewitt and Pricer will be freshman phenom Cassie Martin, a California native ranked third in the nation by USA Today her senior year (1998). Martin was an all-state catcher and four-year starter at Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif., and was also a four-year letterwinner in basketball. Drawing on experience as its strength, the Cougar infield will consist solely of transfer students. Former Utah Valley State College (UVSC) standout Mindy Hanson will take over at first base. A two-year team captain at UVSC, Hanson led the team in doubles her freshman season with nine, and racked up 38 RBI, good for fifth on UVSC's all-time list. At the middle infield positions will be Jackie Ellis, a second base transfer from the University of Oregon, and Becca Erickson, a Dixie College product at shortstop. Ellis was Oregon's most improved player her freshman year, culminating with a 4-for-4 performance against Olympic pitcher Christa Williams. Ellis also led the team in stolen bases and had a team-best .305 average against PAC-10 opponents. Erickson batted .415 her sophomore season at Dixie and was also an All-Area selection in basketball and volleyball in high school. Rounding out the infield at the infamous "hot corner" of third base is junior Tracy Farley. Farley was the defensive player of the year last season at UVSC with a fielding percentage of .953. Farley also hit .331 for the Wolverines. The outfield picture is similar, with right fielder Brooke Cadiente as the lone freshman. Cadiente was a three-time letterwinner at Mountain View High School in Mesa, Ariz where she led the team in home runs and RBI. Joining Cadiente in the outfield are Lindsay Hodgen and Liz Smith. Like Hanson and Farley, Hodgen also comes to BYU from UVSC, where she was named Player of the Year last year. Hodgen was also named a first-team All-American and played for the NJCAA All-Star team in Vancouver. Finally, the speedy Smith comes to Provo after one season at Ricks College, where she was an All-Region selection and third-team All-American. In fall ball, Smith hit leadoff for the team. The Cougar bench is deep in talent as well. Once medically cleared to compete, Lindsay Jones will join the pitching rotation. A native of New Mexico, Jones holds the state record for most strikeouts in a season with 364. Jones also transferred from UVSC, where she was a third-team All-American and named the team MVP last season. Backing up Martin at catcher will be Angie Christiansen, also a transfer from UVSC, and Jessica Johnson, a freshman from Texas. Available for infield duty is freshman Megan Johnson, who primarily plays third base, utility freshmen Erin Larsen and Lael Rorie, and first base/DH Julie Wallace, a transfer from Ricks. The outfield is also deep, with twin freshmen Bryn and Jamie Kreipl on call along with club player Emily Fernley.
"We're looking forward to this season being a successful one
as the first year of BYU softball team. We hope to quickly become a
presence in the new conference and eventually on a national level,"
said Amicone.
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