PNC Panthers Welcome 10 Softball Recruits

PNC softball recruits seated from left, Amanda Pollack, Sarah Hunter, Katie Haze, Heather Weaver, Valorie Minyard. Standing from left, assistant coach Denny King and head coach Gil Arzola. Download photo here.

WESTVILLE – Purdue University North Central women’s softball team recently signed 10 new players who will compete in the 2004 – 05 season.

Head softball coach Gil Arzola and assistant coach Denny King welcomed the recruits to the team as part of a brief signing ceremony on campus.

“I’m delighted to welcome these talented student-athletes to our team,” said Arzola. “They are good athletes and good students, that’s the combination we look for in our ball players. They will be assets to PNC in the classroom and on their field.”

The athletes represent a variety of Indiana high schools, and two transferred to PNC after attending other universities. The new members of the PNC Panthers are:

Kelly Steg, a pitcher from Maconaquah High School in Bunker Hill, Ind. She had a batting average of better than .500 and an on base percentage of .704 through 14 games this season while maintaining an ERA of 0.25.   Kelly has a grade-point-average of 9.87 on a scale of 12. 

Sarah Hunter is a pitcher and a transfer student from Defiance College in Ohio. A Portage resident, she was 8-8 as a Defiance College freshman with a team-leading 102 innings pitched and 16 starts with a 2.13 ERA with 49 strikeouts. As a high school senior, Hunter was 13-3 with a 1.16 ERA, 135 strikeouts and only 31 walks.

Stephanie Phillips, from Boone Grove High School, third base. She won the Pride and Hustle Award in 2003, has excellent speed and a strong arm. She played travel ball for seven years and is also an outfielder.  She has a GPA of 2.75.

Amanda Pollack, an outfielder from Hebron, scored 10 runs with three doubles in 2003. She had 12 RBIs and committed only 5 errors. She has a 3.625 GPA. 

Heather Weaver, an infielder, transferred to PNC from Indiana University. She played in the North-South All-Star game as a high school senior. She was first-team All-Conference as a second baseman at Mishawaka High School with a .392 batting average, a .454 on base percentage with eight doubles and 24 runs scored. An outstanding athlete, Weaver was also a standout basketball player.  

Katie Haze, is an outfielder who graduated from Lake Central High School. She is transferring to PNC from Purdue Calumet. She is a very disciplined hitter, who can play several positions. She carries a 3.8 GPA.

Alex Hansen, of Portage, plays both first base and the outfield. She was All-Conference as a junior with a .304 batting average, 21 RBIs and 15 runs scored. Voted best newcomer to the Duneland Conference in 2002, Hansen has three years of national experience playing for the Michiana Mystique travel team.  She has a GPA of 3.64 and scored 1110 on her SAT, earning her an academic letter.

Ashley Loden, from Hobart, plays third base. She has a .985 fielding percentage through 18 games in 2004. This season she has driven in 10 runs and hit three doubles and has an on base percentage of .320.

Valorie Minyard, a catcher from Lake Central High School, played on the Northwest Indiana Express travel team and is an athletic-award winner on a Lake Central team that has been ranked in the top 10 in the state all season. She has a 3.3 GPA.

She is the recipient of PNC’s Patricia C. Bednar Women's Softball Scholarship. The award was established in memory of the late wife of Dr. Edward Bednar, PNC vice chancellor of academic affairs, who was an avid softball player and fan.

Aubry Polak, outfield/pitcher, Hobart is currently batting .280 and has become the starting pitcher for a much improved Hobart team.  She played for the Indiana Titans travel team as a junior.  The Titans finished 13th of 140 teams at the NSA nationals.  She is a member of the National Honor Society.

The PNC Panthers softball team competes in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

#