PNC Softball Team Signs New Recruits

WESTVILLE – The Purdue University North Central women’s softball team has signed 12 new players, who will join nine returning players for the 2005 -2006 season.

The Panthers finished with a 16-27 record and qualified for the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) tournament this spring. This is the team’s first year in the conference.

“We are very pleased with the way our team finished,” said head coach Gil Arzola. “But we are certainly not satisfied. We think we can do much better and the addition of our new players will help us continue to make the PNC program among the best in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).”

The athletes planning to join the PNC program for the 2005 - 2006 season are:

Tracy Markwell, a Portage High School athlete who is a pitcher as well as an outfielder.

Brittany Huish, of Merrillville High School, who plays outfield.

Mandy Hindsley, from LaPorte High School, is a catcher.

Stephanie Zaharias, of Valparaiso High School, an outfielder.

Amanda Adkins, a Hobart High School student who combines catching with the outfield.

Jamie Dailey, a River Forest High School student, a utility player.

Jessica Fryar, a graduate of South Central High School and a transfer student from Goshen College, who is a pitcher and outfielder.

Cara Horner, from Portage High School, plays third base and shortstop.

Christina Dihenes, of Chesterton High School, is a catcher.

Jessica Brannagan, from Chesterton High School, is an outfielder.

Betsy Maher, a Chesterton High School student, plays third base.

Alyssa Whittaker, from Frontier High School, is a pitcher.


PNC is losing just two starters from its 2004 -2005 team. Among the returning athletes are All-Conference players Nikki Neulieb, of Michigan City, a third baseman and Carly Ristich, of Portage, a shortstop. Starting pitchers Taryn Jamison, of Hobart and Kelly Steg, from Maconaquah High School in Peru, Ind. will also return.

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