Marlo Roadcap verbals to La Salle

Marlo Roadcap

La Salle and Coach Ron Shoemaker picked up the first 2015 verbal in the conference as pitcher Marlo Roadcap verbally committed to the Explorers.

Roadcap is a 5'11" LHP for the Rock Gold travel team. She also starts in the circle for Millersburg Area HS. She is a tall lanky lefty that could come in and be a program changer for the Explorers.

Coach Shoemaker did some great work turning the Explorers around in 2013 and with his aggressive recruiting it is clear that La Salle has a very bright future. Roadcap joins a talented crop of pitching verbals, which includes McKenzie Peace and Taylor Rohrbaugh. Roadcap has all the makings of a big time college and she may help elevate La Salle to that next level.

Roadcap is the first reported 2015 verbal in the conference. If you have any verbal news please email atlantic10softball@gmail.com

Morgan Figueroa verbals to Fordham

Morgan Figueroa

Fordham picked up a big verbal commitment from Morgan Figueroa, a 2014 lefthanded slap hitter from the Washington Ladyhawks.

Figueroa is an outfielders and second baseman who is sure to add some speed to the Rams lineup. Figueroa has great bat control and she should be a fixture at the top of the order. Coach Bridget Orchard will look to develop Figueroa's slapping abilities, as well as hitting away to make her a triple threat at the plate.

Figueroa joins Madi Shaw in Fordham's 2014 recruiting class. Coach Orchard is already putting together a great recruiting class and it will be exciting to see who the next player that verbals is.

Figueroa is not the first lefty slapper from the Washington Ladyhawks to play for Fordham, as Lindsey Kay Bright has that distinction. Bright was a four year starter in the outfield for the Rams and she left her mark on the Fordham record book, as she holds the single season record for steals with 29 and was one of just six players in Ram history to have recorded 200 hits.

There have been some other Ladyhawks that have also gone on to play in the Atlantic 10, including Maura Murphy, Devynne Nelons, Crystal Nyman, Teea Rogers, Erin Fisher, and Melissa Wilson.

Taylor Rohrbaugh verbals to La Salle

Taylor Rohrbaugh

Coach Ron Shoemaker continued his aggressive 2014 recruiting as he picked up another big verbal commitment with Taylor Rohrbaugh commiting to play for La Salle.

Rohrbaugh is a pitcher and corner infielder for Krunch Gold and she should add solid depth to the Explorer's lineup. Rohrbaugh has also been solid for Central York HS and was named player of the year in her area last year. She put up impressive numbers at the plate and in the field. She finished with a 1.26 ERA and 140 SO in 156 innings, while hitting .446 with 29 hits and 16 RBI at the plate.

Rohrbaugh joins McKenzie Peace, Angelina Refice, and Valerie Pinheiro in La Salle's 2014 recruiting class. Coach Shoemaker is doing a great job at La Salle and this program is making solid strides under his watch.

Ali Summers and Ashley Dumoulin sign with Rhode Island

If you know of any Atlantic 10 softball news please email us at atlantic10softball@gmail.com

Rhode Island picked up a solid catcher from New Jersey and a pitcher/outfielder from Texas, as Ali Summers of the New Jersey Mystics and Ashley Dumoulin signed to play for the Rams next year.

Ali Summers

Summers plays for Camden Catholic in addition to playing for the Mystics. Summers is a solid righthanded bat that should add some power to the Rams lineup.

Ashley Dumoulin

Ashley Dumoulin comes from Byron Nelson High School in Northlake, Texas and the American Freedom travel team. Dumoulin is a 5'4" pitcher and outfielder who should see time in the circle and at the plate for the Rams.

Dumoulin put up solid numbers for Byron Nelson in the circle this year, as she went 23-8 with a 1.47 ERA and 127 SO. For her efforts, Dumoulin was named 5-4A Pitcher of the Year in 2013.

Summers and Dumoulin join Jenna Cubello, Danielle Gariglio, and Marylynn Muldowney in URI 2013 signing class. The Rams are looking for Summers and Dumoulin to be important pieces of their push towards the A10 Tournament in 2014.

Which team will get the 1st 2015 Atlantic 10 Verbal?

It is getting around that time of year when the verbals will start to pour in to Atlantic 10 schools. The big questions on the table are: who will be the first 2015 verbal and which school will receive the commitment?

Quianna Diaz-Patterson

George Washington received the first 2014 verbal with Rochelle Draper, St. Joseph's received the first 2013 verbal with Stephanie Chaiser, and UMass received the first 2012 verbal with Olivia Godin and the first 2011 one with Quianna Diaz-Patterson.

Who will the first 2015 be?

Recruiting: Thinking Outside the Box

Sometimes recruiting habits form and coaches look to just a few travel teams or a certain area to fill their recruiting classes. This approach has worked, but it's always good to think outside the box sometimes and go outside of comfort zones, whether it is looking at JUCO players or international one. You never know where you are going to find a program changing player.

Currently the Atlantic 10 has just one JUCO transfer in URI rising senior Ashley Olson. Olson was an impact player for the Rams in 2013, as she hit .270 with 24 hits, 2 HR, and 13 RBI. JUCO players come in a little more seasoned than freshmen and can contribute right away.

Here are a few JUCO and international players that could be impact players in the Atlantic 10:

Rita Hokianga

Rita Hokianga, LHP, Eastern Arizona College, New Zealand
Hokianga stands at just 5'3", but this Kiwi packs a punch. Hokianga has pitched for the New Zealand Junior National Team, in addition to tossing for Eastern Arizona. Hokianga fared fairly well in her first season in the United States, as she went 22-6 with a 1.40 ERA and 252 SO in 219 IP. Hokianga's international experience and southpaw look would make her a great addition to an A10 team.

Courtney Gettins, RHP, New Zealand
Gettins is one of the youngest players to ever pitch for the New Zealand National Team, as she made her debut at age 16. Gettins sister Melanie Gettins was a standout catcher at Iona. Gettins is a winner, as she has done so at both the national and international level.

Stephanie Trzcinski, RHP, Australia
Trzcinski is a pitcher on the Australian Junior National Team and she would be a fine addition to an Atlantic 10 school. She was named the most valuable pitcher at the Elinor McKenzie Shield, which is Australia's U19 Championship. Some past winners of that same award include Georgia Casey (Oklahoma), Simone Freeman (Oklahoma State), Kaia Parnaby (Hawaii), and Kristen Wadwell (Louisville)

Eva Voortman

Eva Voortman, LHP, Chipola, Netherlands
Voortman is a lefty pitcher from the Netherlands who currently plays for Chipola College in FL. Voortman is a crafty southpaw that could be a real impact pitcher in the circle for an Atlantic 10 school. Voortman has experience pitching in the US for Chipola College and internationally for the Dutch Junior and Senior National Teams. Voortman went 23-3 with a 0.95 ERA in the circle in 2013 for Chipola.

Letiticia Matsuoka, OF, Northwest Florida State, Brazil
Matsuoka is a speedy Brazilian outfielder for Northwest Florida State and she could be an immediate starter. Matsuoka hit .420 with 68 hits, 6 HR, 49 RBI, and 4 steals for Northwest Florida State. She has experience playing for Brazil and in a tough JUCO league in Florida.

Maria Ueno, IF, Miami Dade, Brazil
Ueno is a left handed hitting infielder from Brazil who is currently starring for Miami Dade. Ueno hit .372 with 51 hits, 1 HR, 35 RBI, and 3 steals. Ueno did all that in her first season in the United States and should have a high learning curve out there.

Raquelli Bianco, P, Miami Dade, Brazil
Bianco is one of the first Brazilian pitchers to throw in the United States and she has been very successful in the circle and at the plate for Miami Dade. Bianco hit .342 with 26 hits, 3 HR, and 19 RBI. In the circle, Bianco went 10-3 with a 2.27 ERA and 116 SO in 103 IP.

Some others to look at:
Rosanne de Vries LHP/OF, Chipola, Netherlands
Floor van Dijk, C (R/R), Gulf Coast, Netherlands
Lynn Dollekamp, 2B/OF, Florida State College, Netherlands
Marjolein Merkx, P, Florida State College, Netherlands
Greta Longagnani, P, Pensacola State, Italy
Lara Cecchetti, IF (R/R), Polk State, Italy
Ivona Firicka, OF, Polk State, Czech Republic
Stefania Aradillas 2B (R/R), Mt. SAC, Mexico
Te Reo Powhiri Matautia, OF (L/R), Tallahassee, New Zealand
Krysta Hoani, RHP (R/R), Tallahassee, New Zealand
Tammy McMillan, IF (R/R), Tallahassee, Australia
Karla Claudio, RHP/OF (R/R), Santa Fe, Puerto Rico
Galis Lozada Reyes, SS/OF (S/R), Santa Fe, Puerto Rico
Sian Colee, C (R/R), Gulf Coast, Australia
Nicole Miller, C (L/R), Indian River, Canada

Future International Players in the Atlantic 10:
Madison Clarke 2014 P Canada (St. Joseph's)

Past International Players in the Atlantic 10:
Jessica Tolmie P Australia (Temple)
Kaila Holtz P Canada (UMass)
Syndey Cicchetti P Canada (Dayton)
Leah Sitter OF Canada (Dayton)

American Born Players for Foreign National Teams
Candice Molinari OF Italy (UMass)
Davina Hernandez OF Puerto Rico (UMass)