ESCANABA---Head Softball Coach Heidi Charon and the Bay College Softball team proudly announced ten new members of the Norse Softball Team on Monday afternoon.

Bay College Softball will compete for the first time in school history in 2018-19.  The following is the list of student-athletes that have recently signed their Natinoal Letter of Intent to play at Bay College.

Emily Bruntjens
Escanaba High School

Emily earned 1st Team All-District, 1st Team All-Region, and 1st Team All-State honors during her senior season as an Eskymo in 2017.  During the same season she received the honor of participating in the Michigan High School All-Star Game.

Emily set a school record with 65 hits in one season, as well as stealing 32 bases in 32 attempts.  She hit for a .507 average, amassed a .640 On Base Percentage, and did not commit a single error during her senior campaign.
 

Coach Charon says… "Emily is coming to us as a sophomore after playing her freshman year at Olivet Nazarene University.  She's a centerfielder and lefty-slapper with a lot of speed and power.  She was a stand-out player on the Escanaba high school team, as you can tell from her impressive stats, and we expect her to be one next year for Bay, too."

Beth Gannigan

Coleman High School (Wisconsin)

Beth has been a key player for Coleman all four years, helping lead the Cougars to four consecutive Regional Championships.  She also was a four-year member of the Volleyball team, and played basketball for two years.

Beth is also an active member of the concert, jazz, and pep bands at Coleman, and was the Band President her senior year.  She continues to participate in the Future Farmers of America and volunteers her time at her church and in her community.
 

Coach Charon says… "Beth is a strong all-around softball player who is a true leader on and off the field.  She's exactly the type of player and person we were looking for, and we were grateful to find her so early in the recruiting process."

Kaitlyn Hardwick

Gladstone High School

Kaitlyn is a three-year starting outfielder.  She is hitting for a .400 average for the Braves, who won their district tournament this past weekend.  She will be a dual-sport athlete for the Norse, competing for the Women's Basketball team.  She also played volleyball in high school, earning All-Conference honors in all three sports.  She is a member of the National Honor Society and Student Council.
 

Coach Charon says… "An all-around exceptional athlete, Kaitlyn will bring a lot to the table next year.  She is a strong hitter and outfielder with a lot of speed and a strong arm.  Her work ethic and positive attitude will be great to have on the team next year."

Emily LaFave

Escanaba High School

Emily played varsity softball for Escanaba, as well as playing for the Escanaba Heartbreakers and Escanaba All-Star Team.  She was a member of the team that traveled to Kirkland, WA for the World Series in 2012.  She was a three-sport athlete, competing in tennis and basketball in high school, as well as being a member of the National Honor Society and was the Student Council Vice President.

Emily graduated from Escanaba High School in 2016 and attended Frerris State University for the past two years.  There she was in the honors program and made the Dean's List each semester.
 

Coach Charon says… "Emily plays outfield and is a lefty-slapper with a lot of speed.  She's a role-model student, as is evidenced by her time in FSU's honors program.  Academics are our number one priority, and I'm grateful to have so many wonderful all-around students joining the team."

Eve LaFleche

Hillman High School

Eve is a four-year varsity athlete for the Tigers.  She has earned All-Region and All-District honors during her playing career. 

This past season she was named as a captain for not only the softball team, but also for her basketball team.  She has also played the past four years for the Moran Iron Works travel team, and has been a starter for that team during her time there. 
 

Coach Charon says… "Eve comes to us from the Alpena area having played at a very competitive level with her travel team for the last four years, on top of playing for her high school team.  Eve will be a great addition to Bay's first ever softball team."

Nadia Namin

Stephenson High School

Nadia has started on the varsity team at Stephenson for four years.  During that time she has earned Rookie of the Year (freshman season) and Defensive MVP (sophomore and junior seasons) honors for her team.

During her junior season she hit for a .433 average, slugging six doubles and three triples.  She is batting in the lead off position this season, and plays shortstop, second, third, and pitches for the Eagles.

She currently boasts a 3.5 GPA in the classroom, which ranks 14th in her class.
 

Coach Charon says… "Nadia has an impressive amount of raw talent that I am excited to work with next season.  She's a utility player who can play practically any position and will go all out in whatever role you ask her to fill."

Aubree Saunders

Escanaba High School

Aubree played two years of varsity softball for the Eskymos, as well as playing on the Tri-County Thunder and Escanaba Heartbreakers travel teams.

She was a member of the Little League All-Star Team starting in 2003, including being on the team that qualified for the World Series in Delaware in 2016.  Aubree was named the MVP for the UP All-Star Game in 2017.
 

Coach Charon says… "Aubree is a strong corner player and hitter.  She has a lot of experience playing at a high level and is excited to get back into it after having a year off since graduating in 2017."

Kennedy Tharp

Stephenson High School

Kennedy wrapped up her senior season for the Eagles as a four-year starter.  She was named as the team MVP last season, and hits in the heart of the lineup.  She also competed for four years on the basketball court.  Kennedy has earned a 3.3 GPA in her studies, and is ranked 26th in her class.
 

Coach Charon says… "Kennedy has extensive experience playing both softball and baseball, which has given her both an exceptionally strong bat and arm.  She's a catcher who can throw out runners at second from her knees.  I'm excited to coach her and expect her to be an integral part of the team next year."

Paige Welch

Bark River-Harris

Paige will continue at Bay College next year as a dual-sport athlete, having been a member of the first ever Norse Women's Basketball Team this past season.  She is no stranger to new programs as she was a member of Bark River-Harris' first ever softball team during her sophomore year of high school.  She was a three-year varsity starter and received All-Conference Honorable Mention her junior and senior seasons.

She also received her team's "Gold Glove" Award which was given to the player with the highest fielding percentage.  Paige was a National Honor Society member her junior and senior years, as well as participating in the LEO Club, an organization that encouraged high school students to volunteer their time for various activities. 
 

Coach Charon says… "Paige is a strong overall athlete and middle-infielder who will be a sophomore next year for us.  She played on the basketball team last year and is excited to be a dual-sport athlete next year. I'm grateful to have a handful of incoming sophomores to balance out the team, and am especially grateful to have a couple of them who have already experienced what it's like to be a student-athlete in college.  They will definitely be called on to be leaders from the outset."

Cassie Wisler

Escanaba High School

Cassie is an outfielder and left handed power hitter for an Eskymo team that won their district tournament this past weekend.  She had an eye-popping .556 batting average during her junior campaign, and continues to impress during her senior season.

She is a National Honor Society Member and currently ranks 15th in her class academically.  Cassie was recently awarded the Bay College's Board of Trustees Scholarship. 
 

Coach Charon says… "There aren't a lot of left-handed softball players out there that haven't been turned into slap-hitters, but Cassie is one of them and she has definitely developed into a reliable power hitter.  Cassie is joining the ranks of five other players from Escanaba High School.  Since this will be everyone's first year on our team, it will be especially beneficial to have a handful of girls that have played together before."