Our player spotlight today takes us to Southern Calif. where we learn more about a senior who was once Big Ten bound but now will play in the Pac-12.  We also look briefly at a sophomore committed to an SEC program and a California standout who will play in “paradise.”  In recruiting news, we learn more about a Texan also going to the SEC and a NorCal catcher who will play in the middle of the country…

 

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PLAYER PROFILE: BRYNLEY STEELE

Grad Year: 2014
Pos: 3B/C
High School: Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.)
Club: California Cruisers – Harman/Christensen
Stats: (2013: Junior year)– .453 overall average with .527 average for league with six home runs.
Honors: 2nd Team All-State, 1st Team All-CIF, League MVP, Offensive & Defensive Player of the Year
College:  Arizona State

 

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StudentSportsSoftball.com: First of all, are you excited to be back in school again or long for the good old days of Christmas vacation?
Brynley Steele: I enjoyed Christmas break and spending time with my family but I was excited to get back to the school routine and practicing for league, which is around the corner!

 

SSS.com: What does January and February hold for you softball-wise?
BS: January and February consists of travel ball and high school ball tournaments to get ready to achieve our goal of winning league again.

SSS.com:  Are you looking forward to high school ball or prefer playing club?
BS: I love high school ball! I enjoy travel ball as well and my teammates are practically family which is always fun. But high school has a little different atmosphere in that were playing for our school and to make it to the CIF championship. My school has always had a great program and a winning program, so its always an exciting year.

 

SSS.com: You are headed to ASU now after it looked like you were going to Penn State… what were the factors in making the switch?
BS: I made the decision to go to Penn state the beginning of my junior year and I really fell in love with the coaches, but I feel that I may not have waited long enough in making such a huge decision. The Penn State coaches resigned from coaching, which was a huge factor in all of it. Nothing is set in stone, in which I learned the hard way but it was ultimately a blessing in disguise. I am a strong believer in the fact that everything happens for a reason and know that I am where I am supposed to be.

 

SSS.com: How did ASU find you and then follow and ultimately offer you (how long was the process)?
BS: I had a lot of help from my Coach Lynn Christensen who has known Coach Nicholason for some time. Also, the assistant coach for Penn State who had recruited me, talked to Coach Boo (ASU) about me. I felt very fortunate to have people out there who were willing to talk good about me, not only as a player but as a person. I went on a visit in October, and made my decision in December.

 

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
BS: I decided to commit two days before Christmas. I felt that ASU fit me perfectly. Ever since I can remember, my dream was to play college softball for an elite program. I have always watched ASU play on TV and there was nothing I wanted more than to be a part of that. I love to play softball more than anything and ASU couldn’t have been a better opportunity for me. Not to mention I love the location and the weather!

 

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone, on an unofficial visit?
BS: I called the coaches when I had made my decision.

 

SSS.com: Describe your emotions around committing were you more nervous, excited or relieved?
BS: Relieved! Definitely relieved. Having been committed since the beginning of my junior year, I had been out of the recruiting process for some time and I was worried that it would affect my chances of playing at the high caliber of college softball that I had always dreamed of. And it was a rough time. There were always doubts and uncertainties but once ASU came into the picture my hope for the game I love so much was regained. I couldn’t be more excited.

  

SSS.com:  What do you think you have in your game that makes you a Pac-12 caliber player?
BS: I believe that the heart and passion I have for the game and the will to work hard make me a Pac-12 caliber player. I play very aggressive and am always full throttle. I play with confidence in the abilities I have.

 

SSS.com: What’s been the highlight of your softball career so far?
BS: The highlight of my softball career so far has been last year winning league and receiving league MVP.

 

 

Quick Hitters

 

 

What do you want to major in?
Communications. 

Fill in the blank… The greatest thing about softball is: _____________
… competition.

You come from Orange County, Calif… what is it about the area that makes you most proud to say you’re from there?
That there are so many talented athletes from here.

Favorite food:
Mexican.

Least favorite food:
Sushi.

Favorite thing to talk about:
I like to talk about everything that happened during the game afterwards.

What’s your dream vacation?
Fiji.

What do you do when you need some alone or quiet time?
Go for a run!

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I’m kind of an open book. There isn’t much that people don’t know about me (personality wise).

What’s the one thing you’ll always have in your possession besides a phone?
Gum.

What’s your No. 1 goal for 2014?
Get faster and stronger.

If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would you like it to be?
Mike Trout.

 

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RECRUIT SPOTLIGHT: ASHLEE SWINDLE

High school: Curry
City: Jasper
State: 
Alabama
Grad year: 2016
Club: Birmingham Thunderbolts
Position(s):  pitcher/first base
Height: 5-8
College: Auburn
Other Offers: Samford, Alabama-Birmingham
Why Auburn: “I liked the coaching staff, the atmosphere, the education offered there and the conference.”

 

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RECRUIT SPOTLIGHT:  LENA MAYER

High school: Berkeley
City: Berkeley
State: 
Calif.
Grad year: 2014
Club: KG Hitters
Position(s):  pitcher/first base
Height: 5-7
Scouting Report: throws in the mid 60’s with good movement on her pitches
College: UC Santa Barbara
Why Santa Barbara: “Santa Barbara felt right. UC Santa Barbara is an exceptional academic school, with great softball and plays top national teams. Plus it’s paradise.”

 

 

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RECRUITING NEWS:

*** We recently listed the commitment of Megan Harris, a 2015 outfielder with the Firecrackers RWB Gold (Poole) team, to Ole Miss.

I reached out to her father, Mike, to learn more about the Texan’s commitment to the SEC school and here’s what he said in regards to my asking to learn a bit more about Megan:

“Megan is a two-year starter for the 14-4A Whitehouse (Texas) Ladycat softball team.  She was the 2012 Newcomer of the Year and in her sophomore year she was 1st team All-District and named to the All East Texas team. Megan was third in the state at the 4A level for stolen bases and has led the team in stolen bases, walks, runs scored and batting average both years.”

“She played summer last summer with Texas Glory-Naudin and we were second at the Triple Crown Nationals in Nevada. Megan now is with the Firecrackers RWB Gold-Poole team.”

“Her stats for the summer included a .425 batting average, a .483 on-base percentage and 23 steals.”

“Her sophomore year Megan was also state ranked in the triple jump and made the regional finals her freshman year and was selected to the all state track team.”

“As to how she committed to Ole Miss, we went to an Ole Miss camp in 2012 where she had the fastest time in the home-to-first of all the campers.  This put Megan on their watch list.  They then watched her play at the PGF in California that November, and in Colorado last summer.  She also continued to make every Rebel camp she could while staying in touch through email and calling the coaches.”

“We went for an unofficial visit to the Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M game where she accepted the offer.”

 

*** Sarah Kosmata, a 2016 catcher who plays for the California Comets Gold team, verballed to Tulsa in November and a large part of her success comes from exposure she got through the Scout Softball system… more on that in a second.

For Sarah, it seemed like softball was inevitable as she followed in her two older sisters footsteps in playing and started travel ball when she was eight years old.  At 14 and as an incoming freshman she was selected to guest play for the California Comets 18 Gold program and made that team the following season.

The athlete’s mother, Jana, picks up the story.

“We decided in October 2012 that Sarah needed to step out and take a chance with being seen by a new recruiter who was from Texas, Mark Mulvany of Scout Softball.   He was a complete unknown on the West Coast but we felt it was worth the risk and the cost.”

Sarah was selected to the All-American team for the Scout Softball Games in Nashville where she had the highest batting average (.500) and onbase average (.800) of all the West coast players in attendance.

Mulvany remembers Sarah very well.

“She was great that day,” Mulvany remembers. “She earned an invitation to a National Showcase. She chose the Dallas National Showcase which was full of future Division 1 kids. In the catching group alone you had Taylor Ellsworth (2017, Texas) and Devin Cantu (2016, Iowa) and other future D1 catchers.

“Sarah pulled one of the two Scout All-American invites out of the Dallas National Showcase for catchers. Then there was Nashville and the 2013 Scout All-American Games in August 2013. Again, Sarah got better. Her control of the game, her instincts and her ability to hit the ball really shined. Back in May she was still figuring out if she was going to be a right-handed hitter or left-handed hitter. Well, she figured it out and was on base a lot against very quality pitching.”

“After Nashville, we had a lot of footage and experience with Sarah. She began climbing the National Player Rankings throughout the summer of 2013 with great performance after great performance.”

Nine months after appearing in her first Scout Softball event Sarah was invited to Tulsa’s Elite camp in November 2013.  Coach John Bargfeldt later told the athlete’s parents that he found Sarah on the Scout Softball website.

Sarah attended the Tulsa camp where she won two contests-overhand throwing velocity and best bat—and was offered at that time.

“She loved everything about Tulsa—the coaching staff, the campus, the town,” says Jana. “As parents we liked the size and the safe feeling we got as we walked the campus.  The coaching staff made us feel very comfortable. We also liked Coach John’s passion for the sport.”

“When Sarah verbaled with Tulsa, she had several other D1 schools actively recruiting her including Oregon, but Tulsa just seemed like the perfect fit.”

 

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Players, parents and coaches:  want to know the best way to get us info on your favorite player?  Fill out our Recruit Form link and complete.  It comes directly to me (Brentt) and you very likely could see the info used somewhere on our site!

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If you’d like to submit information, forward to brentt@studentsports.com.  Also, follow us on twitter at @SS_Softball.