Huskers Sign Three Talented Players

Lincoln ? Three talented high school softball players signed National Letters of Intent to play softball at Nebraska next season, Head Coach Rhonda Revelle announced on Monday, Nov. 15. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

The Huskers, who graduate three seniors this spring, signed players from three states, while picking up an infielder, an outfielder and a pitcher. Jordan Bettiol, an outfielder from College Station, Texas, is the second prep player from Texas to sign with Nebraska in the past three seasons. Mattie Fowler, an infielder from Tucson, Ariz., is the third Arizona high school star to sign with Nebraska in the past 10 seasons. Rounding out the class is right-handed pitcher Emily Holt from Woodland, Wash. Holt is the third Washington native to sign with Nebraska in Revelle’s 19 seasons in Lincoln.

Each of the three signees will complete their high school careers this spring, and all three have already earned at least one all-state award, while Fowler and Holt have both won a state championship. Given their individual and team success, Revelle is excited about the newest Huskers.

“The 2011 class adds a talented Husker athlete to the outfield, infield and pitcher's circle,” Revelle said. “Not only are they winners on the field, they are all great students who we anticipate to have meaningful and highly successful careers in the classroom and on the playing field.”

 

2010 Nebraska Softball Signing Class
Player               Pos.     Hometown                       High School/Club Team
Jordan Bettiol    OF        College Station, Texas     A&M Consolidated/Sudden Impact
Mattie Fowler     INF       Tucson, Ariz.                  Canyon del Oro/AZ Desert Thunder
Emily Holt         RHP      Woodland, Wash.           Woodland/NW Bullets

Jordan Bettiol, OF, College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated HS/Texas Sudden Impact)
Jordan Bettiol has taken an unusual path to becoming a Husker. A talented athlete with great speed, Bettiol did not go out for softball her freshman season at A&M Consolidated High School, as she instead competed in track. But before her sophomore season, Bettiol approached Head Coach Billy Hicks about trying out for the softball team. According to Hicks, it didn’t take long for Bettiol to earn a starting position for a 28-11 team that advanced to the Class 5A Regional semifinals.

During her sophomore season in 2009, Bettiol batted .318, collecting 28 hits in 88 at bats, including four doubles and two triples. She also added 14 RBIs, 18 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. With a year of experience, Bettiol produced a breakout junior season in 2010. In leading A&M Consolidated to a 32-6 record, Bettiol batted .444 (52-for-117) with seven doubles, one triple, one home run, 17 RBIs and a 17-game hitting streak. Her speed was again on display, as she scored 53 runs and stole 28 bases in only 38 games. Bettiol also showed improved discipline at the plate, drawing 30 walks to help her post a .554 on-base percentage.

Entering her senior season this spring, Bettiol owns a .390 career average with 71 runs scored, 11 doubles, three triples, one home run, 71 runs scored, 39 stolen bases, 37 walks and 31 RBIs. Bettiol was named a third-team Class 5A all-state selection by the Texas Sports Writers Association as a junior and also earned second-team All-Brazos Valley honors both on the field and in the classroom. She was also a first-team all-district selection.

Before joining the softball team, Bettiol spent her freshman season on the track, where she finished sixth at the district meet in the 800-meter run (2:20.98) and fifth in the 1,600-meter run (5:22.32). Bettiol also finished fourth nationally at the 2007 Junior Olympics in the 1,500-meter run (4:56), and she ran the 800-leg of her Texas distance medley relay team that recorded the second fastest time in the nation in the spring of 2008. Her speed carries over to the softball diamond, as Bettiol posted the fastest home-to-home time (10.87 seconds) at the 2010 NFCA Elite College Showcase Recruiting Camp.

Bettiol recently joined the Texas Sudden Impact Gold club team. Husker sophomore Gabby Banda also played for that program, although Bettiol and Banda were never teammates for Sudden Impact. In the classroom, Bettiol is a member of the National Honor Society.

Coach Revelle on Jordan Bettiol
“Jordan is a speedy outfielder who has an internal drive and motivation to be the very best. Jordan is intent on stepping on campus and being ready to compete, and we are excited for her to do just that for the Big Red."

Mattie Fowler, INF, Tucson, Ariz. (Canyon del Oro HS/AZ Desert Thunder)
Mattie Fowler will enter her fourth year as the starting shortstop at Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson, Ariz., this spring. Thus far in her career, Fowler is a three-time all-conference performer, a two-time all-state selection and a two-time state champion. The Dorados are coached by Kelly Fowler, Mattie’s mother, and they have won three state titles in the past five seasons.

Fowler started as both a freshman and a sophomore when Canyon del Oro won back-to-back Class 4A state championships. She was a second-team all-state selection as a sophomore.

As a junior last spring, Fowler batted .490 (51-for-104) while leading the Dorados to a 25-7 record and an appearance in the state semifinals. Nearly half of her hits went for extra bases, as she set a school record with 17 doubles, while also increasing her career total to a school-record 36. Fowler also added one triple and three home runs to post a .760 slugging percentage, while producing 38 RBIs, 26 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. For her efforts, Fowler was named a first-team all-state selection and earned the best defensive softball player award.

Fowler is also a standout in the classroom and in the community. She was a state finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award and ranks in the top five percent of her class of 475 with a weighted grade-point average of 4.35. In addition to volunteering in the community, Fowler served her school as vice president of the Interscholastic Leadership Council, while also being a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club.

Fowler played her club softball for the AZ Desert Thunder, coached by her parents Kelly and Lance. The Desert Thunder has placed in the top 25 at the ASA Gold National Championship in each of the past five seasons, including two top-10 finishes. Fowler is one of four Desert Thunder players to sign with a Division I program this fall. The team has also produced several outstanding alumni who have gone on to play at major college programs, including Mattie’s sister Kenzie.

Kenzie Fowler is a sophomore at the University of Arizona. Kenzie was a first-team All-American as a freshman at Arizona last season, while pitching the Wildcats to a runner-up finish at the Women’s College World Series. Mattie Fowler also has family connections to the Cornhusker State, as her aunt, Patty Patton Shearer, is the head women’s basketball coach at UNO.

Fowler also played volleyball and golf in high school, earning honorable-mention all-state honors at outside hitter her junior season.

Coach Revelle on Mattie Fowler
“Mattie plays the game with passion, great instinct and intelligence. A gifted athlete, Mattie has a knack for always being in the right place at the right time. Mattie is a difference maker, a leader and a player that will bring great honor to the Husker uniform."

Emily Holt, RHP, Woodland, Wash. (Woodland HS/Northwest Bullets)
Emily Holt has been the ace pitcher at Woodland High School in Woodland, Wash., since her freshman season. With her senior season still remaining, the two-time, first-team all-state selection has already enjoyed a stellar prep career. Holt led the Beavers to their first-ever appearance in the state tournament as a sophomore before leading Woodland to the Class 2A state championship last spring, when she was named the Class 2A state player of the year.

Holt began her prep career by posting a 9-12 record with a 2.37 ERA and 149 strikeouts in 139.0 innings as a freshman. In her first season, she was a first-team all-league honoree and a second-team all-region selection.

She then took a big step forward the following spring, finishing 20-8 with a 0.62 ERA. Holt struck out 314 batters in only 193.0 innings as a sophomore, while leading Woodland to its first trip to the state tournament. At the state tournament, Holt pitched the Beavers to a third-place finish, striking out 29 batters in 13.0 innings while throwing back-to-back shutouts on the first day of the tournament. For her efforts, Holt was a first-team all-state selection, the league defensive player of the year, a first-team all-region pick and she was also named the Seattle Times class 2A state athlete of the week following a 17-strikeout, one-hit shutout of Battle Ground.

In leading Woodland to the 2A state championship in 2010, Holt was dominant. She threw every inning in the tournament, posting a 4-0 record with 44 strikeouts in 26.0 innings. Offensively, Holt batted .600 (9-for-15) at the tournament, belting two home runs. In the championship game, Holt allowed only one run, while going 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair doubles, a home run and three RBIs. Earlier in her junior season, Holt went more than 20 innings without allowing a hit, including a perfect game and a no-hitter in consecutive starts.

Holt also played volleyball (freshman and sophomore seasons) and basketball (freshman season) at Woodland. Holt plays her club ball for the Northwest Bullets in Portland, Ore. The Bullets are coached by Dennis Muir, the father of Husker redshirt freshman Kylee Muir. Holt helped the Bullets to a top-10 finish at the 2009 ASA Gold National Championship. She is one of four Bullets to sign a national letter of intent with a Division I program this fall, joining a group of 11 alumni currently playing at a Division I school.

Coach Revelle on Emily Holt
“Emily is a strong, hard-throwing pitcher who has a very bright future for the Huskers. We are extremely excited, as is she, to get her on campus and working with (Pitching) Coach (Lori) Sippel to continue to build and refine her natural skills. The sky is the limit for this talented pitcher.”