Orange Softball Adds Seven for 2005-06

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse softball head coach Mary Jo Firnbach has announced that seven players have committed to play for the Orange beginning in 2005-06. Amy Kelley, Heather Kim, Tonye McCorkle, Nicole Miller-Spellman, Dani Stuart, Lindsay Wasek, and Kim Weinstein will all be freshmen next season.

Kelley is a catcher from Bend High School in Bend, Ore. As a junior, Kelley hit .431 with five home runs and 26 runs batted in. Twelve of her 28 hits went for extra bases. She was a two-time first-team All-InterMountain Conference selection and was a second-team all-league pick as a freshman in 2002. She was named her team’s most valuable player in 2002 and 2003. Kelley also played with the Glacier Northwest Gold travel team, hitting .320 with three home runs and 23 runs batted in during the summer of 2004. She has also played travel ball for the Central Oregon Challengers (1998-2001) and the Central Oregon Wildfire (2001-03).

Kim is a corner infielder and catcher from Fairview High School in Boulder, Colo. She has earned three varsity letters and has been named to the All-Centennial League First Team as a catcher in each of the last two seasons. As a junior, she was named to the Boulder Daily Camera’s All-Region First Team. She was a second-team all-region pick as a sophomore. In addition to her scholastic experience, Kim also played for the Coloardo Comets. The Comets won the ASA state championship in 2003, finishing second at the USFA national tournament. Kim hit .409 and had a .538 on-base percentage that summer. She also stole 27 bases in 29 attempts.

McCorkle is an outfielder from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. As a junior in 2004, McCorkle was named first-team all-conference and first-team all-county after hitting .456. She owns a .406 batting average through her first three scholastic seasons. As a sophomore, she helped Mater Dei to its conference championship and was named the squad’s offensive player of the year. She was a first-team all-conference, first-team All-CIF and second-team all-county pick in 2003. As a freshman in 2002, she earned Mater Dei’s rookie of the year award and was a second-team all-conference pick. McCorkle played her travel ball with the Southern California Athletics Gold. She also plays basketball at Mater Dei and was named the squad’s defensive player of the year last season.

Miller-Spellman is a product of Simi Valley High School in Simi Valley, Calif. A versatile player, she can play shortstop, first base or outfield. Miller-Spellman is a three-year starter and earned All-Marmonte League honors in 2003. She plays travel ball for the Southern California Stealth which finished 25^th at the 2003 ASA National Tournament. Miller-Spellman was a high school teammate of current SU freshman Chanel Roehner.

Stuart, a senior at Centralia High School in Centralia, Wash., is another utility-type player. The right-hander has played third-base, shortstop and outfield. She is a two-time first-team all-conference pick and was named to The Centralia Chronicle’s All-Area Team in 2003 and 2004. She was CHS’s Offensive Player of the Year as a junior in 2004. Stuart played travel ball for the Vancouver Ford Gold team that won the 2003 ASA state title and qualified for the ASA National Tournament in 2002 and 2003. Stuart was also a defender on the Centralia soccer team. She was named a 2004 soccer all-star by The Olympian.

Wasek is a middle infielder from Council Rock North High School in Newtown, Pa. She is a three-year starter with a career batting average of .368. She was a first-team all-division pick as a sophomore and junior. She was her teams’ MVP last season. Wasek also played with the Pennsylvania Blue Thunder that won the 2003 Pennsylvania state championship. She currently plays for the Pennsbury Gems.

Weinstein is a catcher and third baseman from Chaminade High School in Tarzana, Calif. She hit .268 as a junior last season with a .349 slugging percentage, helping the Eagles to the Mission League championship. Weinstein was a first-team All-Mission League pick in 2004. She was a second-team all-league pick in 2002 after hitting .295. Weinstein plays travel ball for the Southern California Athletics Gold along with fellow newcomer McCorkle.

Syracuse begins its 2005 season on Feb. 11 at the Arizona State Fiesta Bowl Tournament in Tempe, Ariz. SU went 25-29 overall and 9-11 in the BIG EAST last season. The Orange was picked to finish fifth in the 2005 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll.

Syracuse University Athletics

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