Yesterday we had such a big positive response to the signing photos that we run a bunch more and include some more recruiting news and notes, both verbals and signings. Also, we profile a talented Kansas infielder who has one of the fun superstitions we’ve ever heard… let’s just say it has to do with pre-game pickle consumption!
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EARLY SIGNING PERIOD PHOTOS (PART II):
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RECRUIT PROFILE: MORGAN BOHANAN
Morgan Bohanan, a 2014 infielder for Tulsa Elite, had originally committed to Wichita State, but just a few months ago decided decided to look around and ultimately picked the Kansas Jayhawks.
The senior from Goddard, Kan. is a an interesting player and person with a lot of fun things to talk about… so let’s get going!
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StudentSportsSoftball.com: You had committed as a freshman and then decommitted as a senior, correct? That had to be hard… what lead to your decision to put yourself back “on the market?”
Morgan Bohanan: I committed as a Sophomore, so I was committing pretty early and before schools could really talk to me and express how they felt about me. I decided to put myself back out there and see what other schools had to offer and see what other opportunities I could have.
SSS.com: How did Kansas come into the picture and start recruiting you? And when did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
MB: KU called me after I decommitted and told me that they were very interested and told me that they had seen me play before. I decided to commit when I was on my official visit after I had stayed in the dorms and spent a night with some of the girls on the team. The facilities and coaches are also what led me to become a Jayhawk.
SSS.com: How did you commit: in person, on the phone, on a visit?
MB: I committed in person on an official visit.
SSS.com: You have two older brothers, Ryan, who has played college baseball and Justin, who is in the military and currently stationed in Afghanistan… describe what they mean to you and what it was like to be their little sister?
MB: My brothers mean a lot to me, now that I am making the transition next year to college and college athletics, I am going to lean on Ryan more for his experiences playing at a high level in college and making it to a World Series and Justin more for just general advice about life and decisions that may need to be made. Being their little sister is great and seeing them both be successful in front of me is something I hope I can follow.
SSS.com: You have a wonderful and weird superstition… can you describe in detail how you started the pickle tradition?
MB: Before my first high school softball game, one of my teammates went to a deli and got a sandwich. The sandwich came with two pickles and she offered them to me. I ate them both and went 5-for-5 that game and I decided that if it worked once, it will work again so I decided to keep the pickles going every game. I always have to have two because that’s what I started the tradition with. Why change a good thing?
SSS.com: Did you know that many colleges have their football players drink pickle juice during a game to prevent cramping from dehydration? So you’re actually doing something healthy! Probably never had cramps during a game then, huh?
MB: (Laughs) No, I can honestly say I have never gotten cramps in a game.
SSS.com: That can’t be fun on a hot, humid day… do you wash it down with a gallon of water? And do you put pickles on other foods or are you burned out from eating them on the field?
MB: I usually have a Gatorade after I eat my pickles. And yes, I do like pickles on other foods. I also like frozen pickle juice in popsicle form.
SSS.com: What are your goals for the year now that you’re headed to the Big 12?
MB: My goals for this year are to get bigger, faster, and stronger. I want to come into KU physically and mentally prepared. The Big 12 is a very good softball conference, and to be able to compete at that level you have to be in shape and mentally tough.
Quick Hitters
Being a Kansas girl, were you a Jayhawk fan growing up?
Yes, my family has always been Jayhawk fans.
Fill in the blank… What makes me laugh every time is:
… being tickled.
What are you more likely to be found reading: a novel, a magazine, a text or an e-mail?
Text.
What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I am a Choctaw Indian.
How would you describe your playing style in one word?
Fearless.
With Thanksgiving coming up, what are you most thankful for (along with family and friends)?
My athletic ability.
If you were forced to be in a talent show and had to get up on stage, what would you do?
Sing (or try to sing).
Do you have a favorite family tradition for the Holidays coming up?
Black Friday Shopping and Chicken Feet Dominoes.
What’s your secret wish for Christmas/the Holidays?
For my brother to come home from Afghanistan.
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SIGNING NEWS:
*** Some more teams in our Top 25 Recruiting Classes have released their signing lists/bios including Arizona State and Michigan.
Click on the link above to see those who have information available on their new signees.
*** Brentt note: one thing that I enjoy about covering softball, especially after covering football, boys basketball and baseball for many years, is that fastpitch athletes look not only at the softball experience, but also at how the school they’re going to will serve them in getting an education in the career where they want to work.
Yesterday, we told you about Maria Pappano, a senior from Ohio who’s going to the Univ. of Findlay to play softball in large part because it has a great Pre-Veterinary Medicine program.
Today, we go to the Northwest to profile another athlete who knows what she wants to do on the field and in the classroom
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Emilee Eastman attends Glenco High (Hillsboro, Ore.) and is a 3B/OF for the Oregon Thunder ’95 GOLD.
Yesterday, she signed with the Oregon Institute of Technology saying, “It has an amazing softball program and also has my major—Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science [Editor’s note: OK, be honest… how many of us when at that age even KNEW she was such a major?]
Emilee wants to study Medical Imaging at Oregon Tech and work in the Radiology field, but she also is a pretty good softball player too.
She moved to the Oregon Thunder ’95 team this fall, but playing last summer for the ’96 team she was on fire at the 16A USA/ASA Nationals in Sunnyvale, Calif. where she went 12-for-16 to hit a blistering .750 average.
Emilee batted .464 with 45 hits including nine doubles and a pair of home runs for the summer.
She will also be a four year starter for her Glencoe High team that is one of the top programs at the 6A level and during her career has gone 76-12 and went to the State Championship Game this past year.
*** Tarynn Tirpak, a 2014 corner infielder with Premier Fastpitch (Ill.) Black, has signed with the University of South Carolina Upstate
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RECRUITING NEWS
*** Savanna Coor, a 2015 pitcher who plays for the Cal Lite team led by Pam Newton, has committed to Sacramento State.
Savanna, who’s 5-foot-10 and had been looking at three schools where she had taken unofficial visits, attends Chino Hills High (Calif.) and according to her mother, Monica, “absolutely loved everything about Sacramento State. They had her major, which is criminal justice, and a great program as well. Their academic support for the student-athletes is amazing.”
The athlete was offered three weeks ago on her unofficial visit and committed this past Sunday (Nov. 10).
“(Head) Coach (Lori) Perez had been watching her for sometime and Savanna really liked her and her two new assistant coaches, Nichole Willis and Danielle Kaminaka. Savanna felt she could make an impact at Sac State and compete in the Big Sky and do well.”
“Savanna felt all around Sac State would be a great fit for her and her college experience. It had her major, it had a football team and it had a softball program that she could contribute to. Not to mention great California weather.”
The junior pitcher, who also has a 3.7 GPA, went to Cal Lite 16’s in the summer as a pick up player for PGF and did well, pitching in six games and helping the Lite tie for 13th. After Nationals, Coach Newton asked her to join her18 gold team.
*** Ashley Fletcher, a 2015 1B for the Tulsa Elite, committed to South Alabama today.
Ashley attends Maud High (Okla.) and according to her coach, Jeff Filali, was also recruited by Oklahoma State, North Texas, Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Missouri-Kansas City and others.
*** Two juniors from the So Cal Breakers-Imoto team have verballed:
— OF Morgan Howe to Fresno State
— 2B/UT Reyna Jamison to San Diego State
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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.