Dec. 11, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State head softball coach Amanda Lehotak has announced the signing of a half dozen players for the 2016 season. Next year's incoming freshman class is ranked 17th in the nation by Full Count Softball and includes a pair of the sport's top 40 recruits this fall.
The Nittany Lions' crop of recruits scored them 138 total points in the class rankings and is the second highest rated team in the Big Ten, sitting five slots ahead of last year's national runner-up Alabama.
Among the six newcomers to the PSU program is the 28th highest rated high school recruit in the nation as well as New Hampshire's softball player of the year, a high school home run queen and a perennial all-star. Couple that quartet with a pair of well decorated hurlers, one of which has twice achieved perfection and another who is ranked 36th among her peers, and it's easy to see why Coach Lehotak's recruiting class is receiving so much attention.
"This is probably the most athletic class I have ever recruited in my career," said the second year Nittany Lion head coach.
Lehotak's recruits come as far away as California and from as nearby as the Commonwealth. They also vary in position and even the sports they play, from basketball, volleyball and field hockey to the one they all have in common, softball.
Below is a rundown of each signee, their biographical information and some quotes from Coach Lehotak about them as well as their own words about why they chose Penn State and its softball program.
Victoria (Tori) Dubois
Nashua, N.H. / Bishop Guertin High School
INF/OF
Dubois is a decorated athlete, having garnered first team all-state honors following her junior year on the diamond. During the 2014 season, she hit .475 with 4 home runs and 33 RBI for Bishop Guertin, helping lead her team to the state playoffs. During her three-year varsity career she has compiled a .480 batting average with 78 RBI and 12 long balls. The defending New Hampshire Division I Player of the Year also suits up for the Rhode Island Thunder Gold 18u club team, where she batted .360 with 19 homers and 81 RBI during the past two seasons. Her sister Jacklyn is currently a junior catcher for the UConn Huskies softball team.
Lehotak on Dubois
"Tori is one of the best natural hitters I have seen in a long time. Defensively she can play many positions but offensively is what is really going to impress people. Very few kids square up the ball to the bat consistently as she does. She is a tough out at the plate and she is going to be very fun to watch offensively."
Dubois on Penn State
"I chose Penn State because immediately after stepping on to the campus, I knew it was the school for me. Not only is the education that I will receive one of the best in the country, but the facilities and the coaching staff are second to none."
Alexa (Lexi) Lotito
Canyon Country, Calif. / Canyon High School
INF
Lotito is an athletic infielder with a dangerous bat who broke her high school's freshman home run record. She garnered first-team all-league honors following her first varsity season and has since suited up for a total of three club teams, most recently the SoCal Pumas. Her sister Shayne played collegiate ball at Boston University and is now the head coach at Bryant University in Rhode Island.
Lehotak on Lotito
"I like Lexi a lot for a couple of reasons. One, her sister is a very successful head coach at Bryant University, so that means Lexi knows the game really well. When you have a family that coaches, that's really all you talk about so your game awareness and knowledge is at a higher level, which means there are a lot less things that we have to teach her. And two, she is fast, has a good bat and is a great athlete. She is a shortstop and we look for her to compete right away for an infield position."
Lotito on Penn State
"I chose Penn State because I truly feel like I found a coaching staff that believes in me."
Antoinette (Toni) Polk
Niagara Falls, N.Y. / Niagara Falls High School
INF/OF
Toni Polk is the highest rated player in the Nittany Lions recruiting class, given a No. 28 national ranking by Full Count Softball. Despite being picked 28th, Polk may very well be first when it comes to the most athletic player in the U.S., as she currently stars in three-varsity sports for Niagara High School. Besides her prowess on the diamond, Polk has also garnered accolades and attention during her time on the court as a volleyball and basketball player. In fact, the three-sport star was the first student-athlete in her school's history to be named all-league in a trio of athletic arenas. Her accomplishments include being named rookie of the year her freshman year as well as three Frontier League First Team selections to go along with a .513 career batting average, 12 home runs and 84 RBI. She was also named to New York's All-State Third and Second teams during past two seasons. Aside from her athletic accolades, Polk is an accomplished student, maintaining a 4.0 GPA which garnered her Scholar Athlete honors from her hometown TV station.
Lehotak on Polk
"Toni Polk is probably one of the best athletes I have seen in a long time. She just has natural ability with the way she walks, the way she runs and we are just really excited to have her. We think that she'll be the most athletic player that we have both coming in and currently on the team. I know she really wants to fight for an infield position and she is so fast, athletic and strong that it will be fun to see where she ends up on the field."
Polk on Penn State
"I chose Penn State because of the great education I will receive there. I love all the tradition and community support it has to offer. Everything about the University is really special and I wanted to be a part of it all."
Madison (Maddie) Seifert
Chesterfield, Mo. / Lafayette High School
P
Seifert is ranked by Full Count Softball as the 36th top recruit in the nation. The St. Louis area native comes to State College on the heels of a spectacular prep career as Lafayette High School's all-time leader in wins and innings pitched. Aside from her accomplishments in the circle, Seifert is also a threat at the plate, holding career records in five offensive categories (RBI, hits, singles, walks and OBP). She is a two-time St. Louis All-Metro Team member as well as a three-time selection for first team all-conference, district and region. She was given second team all-state honors following the 2014 season. Seifert also suited up for her cub softball team, the St. Louis Chaos for five seasons and played varsity basketball for her high school for one season. She maintains a 4.0 GPA and has achieved scholar athlete gold status, three out of the last four years.
Lehotak on Seifert
"Maddie is a pitcher who is highly competitive and really just has that 'it' factor on the mound that we have been looking for. She is confident, she wants to be great and has some grit with her in the circle so we're really excited to see her come in and compete in the Big Ten."
Seifert on Penn State
"Penn State felt like a place where I could accomplish my dreams."
Madison (Maddie) Shaffer
New Castle, Pa. / Neshannock High School
P
Shaffer looks to continue the success she has had in her high school's circle to the one over at Beard Field. In three seasons playing for Neshannock, she has racked up five no-hitters and two perfect games to go along with a 50-4 record, 14 shutouts and a microscopic 0.71 earned run average. Her prowess in the circle has reached far across the Keystone State as she was named a Pennsylvania first and second all-state pitcher en route to helping lead her team to sectional championships for three consecutive seasons. She has played for a number of different club teams during the last few years, but most recently for the Ohio Outlaws Gold 18u team.
Lehotak on Shaffer
"Maddie Shaffer is another one with that 'it' factor in the circle. She will just go after you and has that attack mentality because she is not afraid to fail. We are really excited about both of our pitchers because they are coming in with confidence. They know they are good and that they can be great."
Shaffer on Penn State
"Penn State is known for its academics and has a state of the art softball facility. I am excited to be playing for this competitive softball program."
Meghan Williams
Bethlehem, Pa. / Salisbury High School
INF/OF
Williams is another multi-sport star at her high school as she played both field hockey and softball for Salisbury. The soon-to-be graduate has started on the varsity squad for the past three seasons, earning a spot on the Colonial League All-Star team her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. This past year she was also named team captain and MVP. Since 2012, she has amassed a .577 average with 112 hits and a .909 slugging percentage. Not to be outdone by her softball accomplishments, Williams was also named field hockey team captain and an all-star goalie. Additionally, she has played for three different club softball teams during her career, most recently the Jersey Intensity.
Lehotak on Williams
"Meghan is another great athlete and is multi-dimensional on the field, which means she can play many positions. She has a solid bat and is really just someone who we know is going to end up somewhere on the field, we just don't know where yet. She is just a big, strong kid and has gotten quicker during the past two years since we last saw her."
Williams on Penn State
"I chose Penn State because of the atmosphere there. You can just feel the school pride, and the energy that comes along with being a member of the Penn State family. The University just offers great opportunities athletically as well as academically."