North Carolina State University Athletics
Softball Signs Seven for 2009 Class
1/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
RALEIGH, N.C. NC State head coach Lisa Navas has announced the signing of seven student-athletes to the Wolfpack softball program in the early signing period. The class features four players from North Carolina and three from Florida. Stephanie Call, Katie Mansilla, Hannah Ojeda, Morgan Peeler, Landon Warren, Bethaney Wells and Toni Ann Williford will all join the program in time for the 2009 season.
“We are very happy with the class that we have put together,” said Navas. “This class is very diverse in terms of experience and accomplishments, and we are confident that they will fill the needs that we sought to take care of at the onset of our recruiting.”
Call, Mansilla and Ojeda all hail from the Sunshine State.
A native of Lake Worth, Fla., Call will be able contribute immediately in several roles. With a .406 batting clip across three seasons at Park Vista High School for head coach Chuck Layman, she also carries a 23-8 record from the circle. Call will continue her family tradition of playing athletics in college, following her father Eric who played football at Florida, as well as her brother, Mark, who played football at Carson Newman. She has competed with the Lady Gators Gold summer squad, as is a three-time all-conference, all-district and all-area player. Call was also tabbed as an adidas top-100 prospect and a top-50 player by Rivals.com
“Stephanie will be able to step right in and help immediately with pitching, playing first base and her hitting,” said Navas. “She comes from a highly competitive family.”
Mansilla will enter Raleigh via Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. A four-year letterwinner and team captain as a senior for head coach Stacy Diaz at Archbishop McCarthy High School, she was named first-team District 4A All-Broward County a year ago. Mansilla carries 10 years of club experience, including the past five years with head coach Jennifer Boyd Pugh’s Diamond Dusters. Her older brother Matt currently plays baseball at the College of Charleston.
“Katie will work into the shortstop position,” said Navas. “She has great versatility and speed. She can hit from both sides of the plate and she loves to play the game.”
Tampa, Fla., native Ojeda will add depth to the State outfield. In 2006 she hit .492 for head coach Melissa Sigmon at H.B. Plant High School, earning all-conference and all-county distinctions. Ojeda has played travel ball for nine years, including the past three seasons with Dave and Brent Hazzard’s Team Fla.
“Hannah is a fiery player who will play outfield for us,” said Navas. “She has pop from the left side of the plate, as well as a great glove”
Navas and company landed a gem in Peeler, a product of nearby Concord, N.C. Standing as one of the top hurlers in the state, she tossed four perfect games and seven no-hitters en route to a 25-1 record and an 0.26 ERA last year at Central Cabarrus High School, helping the squad to regular season and conference tournament championships. In the summer she competes with Charlie Blackwelder’s Carolina Cobras, whom she helped steer to a top-10 finish last season on the strength of a nine-inning no-hitter at the ASA Nationals. A three-time all-conference performer, she was tabbed conference pitcher of the year last season, as well as all-state and NFCA second-team all-region.
“Morgan has become one of the top pitchers in North Carolina,” said Navas. “We were very excited to sign Morgan. She has no idea how good she can be.”
Warren, out of Raleigh, is cut from State red cloth. Her uncle, Mike Warren, lettered on the men’s basketball team at NC State from 1982-85 and was a member of head coach Jim Valvano’s storybook 1983 NCAA championship team.
A standout player at Broughton High School, she posts a mind-numbing .634 batting average across three seasons under head coach Dorian Stephens. Her 22 career home runs are tied for first in N.C. history, while her batting average stands first. She currently holds the nation's longest hitting streak, having recorded a hit in 63-straight games. Warren is a three-time all-conference, all Wake County and all-state team member. She has also competed with the 14U Dominators Gold squad, which won the USSSA crown and was ranked No. 1 in the country. Her father, Jeffrey, played baseball at East Carolina, and her grandfather, Wiley, played baseball at the Pan American Games.
“Landon has come up through our camp since she was 12 and we’ve built a strong relationship with her since day one,” said Navas. “She is a great athlete that will give us depth in the infield. She has incredible credentials.”
Wells, of Concord, N.C., joins Peeler from Central Cabarrus High School and the Carolina Cobras. She hit .407 a year ago with 23 RBIs, while posting a perfect 9-9 record on stolen base attempts. Wells picked up all-conference and all-district honors last season, and was an all-state honorable mention. She has been a part of three conference championship teams, and won a NC-4A state title in 2005. Before competing with the Cobras she played seven years with the Lady Blues and one season with the Carolina Lady Blues Gold. Her father, Chip, played football at Western Carolina.
“Bethaney comes from one of the top high school programs for softball in the state,” said Navas. “She has come on lately as a top outfielder and consistent hitter.”
A native of Angier, N.C., Williford has hit over .400 in each of her three seasons at Harnett Central High School under head coach Craig Rogers. Last year she hit .543, improving on a .475 clip from the previous season. She helped her squad to a second-place finish at the state finals in 2006, as well as a fourth-place finish a year ago. She posts a .550 career on-base percentage and has struck out just 15 times in 325 at-bats. Williford has also posted the top batting average on her travel team for three-straight years. In 2007 she was named D4 Player of the Year, all-state, all-district and all-conference. She was also named all-conference in 2006 after receiving an honorable mention in 2005. Williford plays travel ball with the 18U Cape Fear Storm under head coach Don Ladd and her father, Tony. She has also played with the Fuquay Bombs and NC Dominators. Outside of softball she has been named all-conference in both volleyball and swimming.
“Toni Ann has great speed and a good bat that will put her immediately into the lineup,” said Navas. “She can help at middle infield and outfield.”
State will begin its 2008 regular season on Feb. 8, taking on Kansas at the UCF Softball Tournament in Orlando, Fla. The squad will also compete at four other challenging tournaments; the FAU “Strike-Out” Cancer Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla., the College of Charleston Tournament in Charleston, S.C., the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., and the USF Under Armour Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.
Feb. 27 is certain to be one of the most anticipated days in the history of the Wolfpack softball program. At 3 p.m., State will begin its first of two games against UNC Greensboro, marking the inaugural game at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium on the NC State campus.
Click here for the complete 2008 schedule.
“We are very happy with the class that we have put together,” said Navas. “This class is very diverse in terms of experience and accomplishments, and we are confident that they will fill the needs that we sought to take care of at the onset of our recruiting.”
Call, Mansilla and Ojeda all hail from the Sunshine State.
A native of Lake Worth, Fla., Call will be able contribute immediately in several roles. With a .406 batting clip across three seasons at Park Vista High School for head coach Chuck Layman, she also carries a 23-8 record from the circle. Call will continue her family tradition of playing athletics in college, following her father Eric who played football at Florida, as well as her brother, Mark, who played football at Carson Newman. She has competed with the Lady Gators Gold summer squad, as is a three-time all-conference, all-district and all-area player. Call was also tabbed as an adidas top-100 prospect and a top-50 player by Rivals.com
“Stephanie will be able to step right in and help immediately with pitching, playing first base and her hitting,” said Navas. “She comes from a highly competitive family.”
Mansilla will enter Raleigh via Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. A four-year letterwinner and team captain as a senior for head coach Stacy Diaz at Archbishop McCarthy High School, she was named first-team District 4A All-Broward County a year ago. Mansilla carries 10 years of club experience, including the past five years with head coach Jennifer Boyd Pugh’s Diamond Dusters. Her older brother Matt currently plays baseball at the College of Charleston.
“Katie will work into the shortstop position,” said Navas. “She has great versatility and speed. She can hit from both sides of the plate and she loves to play the game.”
Tampa, Fla., native Ojeda will add depth to the State outfield. In 2006 she hit .492 for head coach Melissa Sigmon at H.B. Plant High School, earning all-conference and all-county distinctions. Ojeda has played travel ball for nine years, including the past three seasons with Dave and Brent Hazzard’s Team Fla.
“Hannah is a fiery player who will play outfield for us,” said Navas. “She has pop from the left side of the plate, as well as a great glove”
Navas and company landed a gem in Peeler, a product of nearby Concord, N.C. Standing as one of the top hurlers in the state, she tossed four perfect games and seven no-hitters en route to a 25-1 record and an 0.26 ERA last year at Central Cabarrus High School, helping the squad to regular season and conference tournament championships. In the summer she competes with Charlie Blackwelder’s Carolina Cobras, whom she helped steer to a top-10 finish last season on the strength of a nine-inning no-hitter at the ASA Nationals. A three-time all-conference performer, she was tabbed conference pitcher of the year last season, as well as all-state and NFCA second-team all-region.
“Morgan has become one of the top pitchers in North Carolina,” said Navas. “We were very excited to sign Morgan. She has no idea how good she can be.”
Warren, out of Raleigh, is cut from State red cloth. Her uncle, Mike Warren, lettered on the men’s basketball team at NC State from 1982-85 and was a member of head coach Jim Valvano’s storybook 1983 NCAA championship team.
A standout player at Broughton High School, she posts a mind-numbing .634 batting average across three seasons under head coach Dorian Stephens. Her 22 career home runs are tied for first in N.C. history, while her batting average stands first. She currently holds the nation's longest hitting streak, having recorded a hit in 63-straight games. Warren is a three-time all-conference, all Wake County and all-state team member. She has also competed with the 14U Dominators Gold squad, which won the USSSA crown and was ranked No. 1 in the country. Her father, Jeffrey, played baseball at East Carolina, and her grandfather, Wiley, played baseball at the Pan American Games.
“Landon has come up through our camp since she was 12 and we’ve built a strong relationship with her since day one,” said Navas. “She is a great athlete that will give us depth in the infield. She has incredible credentials.”
Wells, of Concord, N.C., joins Peeler from Central Cabarrus High School and the Carolina Cobras. She hit .407 a year ago with 23 RBIs, while posting a perfect 9-9 record on stolen base attempts. Wells picked up all-conference and all-district honors last season, and was an all-state honorable mention. She has been a part of three conference championship teams, and won a NC-4A state title in 2005. Before competing with the Cobras she played seven years with the Lady Blues and one season with the Carolina Lady Blues Gold. Her father, Chip, played football at Western Carolina.
“Bethaney comes from one of the top high school programs for softball in the state,” said Navas. “She has come on lately as a top outfielder and consistent hitter.”
A native of Angier, N.C., Williford has hit over .400 in each of her three seasons at Harnett Central High School under head coach Craig Rogers. Last year she hit .543, improving on a .475 clip from the previous season. She helped her squad to a second-place finish at the state finals in 2006, as well as a fourth-place finish a year ago. She posts a .550 career on-base percentage and has struck out just 15 times in 325 at-bats. Williford has also posted the top batting average on her travel team for three-straight years. In 2007 she was named D4 Player of the Year, all-state, all-district and all-conference. She was also named all-conference in 2006 after receiving an honorable mention in 2005. Williford plays travel ball with the 18U Cape Fear Storm under head coach Don Ladd and her father, Tony. She has also played with the Fuquay Bombs and NC Dominators. Outside of softball she has been named all-conference in both volleyball and swimming.
“Toni Ann has great speed and a good bat that will put her immediately into the lineup,” said Navas. “She can help at middle infield and outfield.”
State will begin its 2008 regular season on Feb. 8, taking on Kansas at the UCF Softball Tournament in Orlando, Fla. The squad will also compete at four other challenging tournaments; the FAU “Strike-Out” Cancer Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla., the College of Charleston Tournament in Charleston, S.C., the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., and the USF Under Armour Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.
Feb. 27 is certain to be one of the most anticipated days in the history of the Wolfpack softball program. At 3 p.m., State will begin its first of two games against UNC Greensboro, marking the inaugural game at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium on the NC State campus.
Click here for the complete 2008 schedule.
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