BOONE, N.C. – First-year Appalachian State softball Head Coach
Shelly Hoerner announced the signing of five incoming student-athletes to the Mountaineer roster for the 2018-19 season on Wednesday.
"I'm extremely excited to welcome this 2018 class to our Appalachian State softball family," Hoerner said. "As a group, they will bring added talent and game IQ to our program. Their passion and commitment to raising the level of play for themselves every day and the players around them is part of what makes coaching fun. They are athletic and will help continue to build the foundation for what we have started here already. I look for each member of this class to continue the tradition of academic excellence as a Mountaineer, as well as being a standout citizen in our App and Boone communities."
MADISON WILSON - Infielder
Abingdon, Md. / Garrison Forest School
Wilson is a three-sport athlete at Garrison Forest and a Forest Legacy Scholar Award recipient in 2015, 2016 and 2017. While at Garrison Forest, she helped lead the softball team to the best record in school history for two seasons. In 2015 and 2016, she threw a combined 320 strikeouts as a pitcher, and also hit 14 home runs. Her batting average of .678 allowed for 76 RBIs and 73 total hits. For both the 2015 and 2016 seasons, she earned IAAM All-Conference. The school did not have a team for the 2017 season. Wilson is a softball, volleyball, and soccer athlete.
ALISON DURRENCE - Utility
Johns Creek, Ga. / Johns Creek High School
Durrence is a four-year varsity letter winner for three sports: softball, swimming and track & field. In addition, she was a three-time all-region player for the Johns Creek High School softball team and holds the single-season and career school record for doubles, batting average and on-base percentage. Her batting average as a senior was .610 with a 1.171 slugging percentage.
TAYLOR THORP – Catcher/Utility
Tallahassee, Fla. / Lincoln High School
An Academic Scholar at Lincoln High School, Thorp will join the Mountaineers as a catcher and utility player. During her sophomore and junior seasons at Lincoln, she earned the team's MVP award. All three years of her high school career to date she has earned FACA All-State awards with a FACA Softball District 1-8A Player of the Year award for 2016-2017.
TAYLOR NICHOLS - Pitcher
Concord, Mich. / Parma Western
Nichols will bolster to the pitching staff at App State as a Parma Western career record holder in strikeouts, as well as RBIs and batting average, after the 2017 season. All three of her high school seasons thus far granted her all-conference and all-district honors with the addition of all-region and all-state during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
LEANNA WHALEY - Pitcher
Dunn, N.C. / Triton High School
Whaley is a North Carolina native and another addition to the pitching staff for the 2018-19 year. At Triton High School, she earned all-conference and all-state honors for three consecutive years. For both of her sophomore and junior seasons, she earned Triton's team MVP award. She ranked first in the state of North Carolina in strikeouts with 332 during the 2016-2017 season, which helped her lead Triton to become the 3A Coastal Conference Champion. She also earned the Coastal Conference Player of the Year award in 2017.
