WNC Athletics: Recruits remain loyal to Western Nevada College baseball, softball programs
Submitted by editor on Wed, 08/26/2015 - 3:50pm
Even though plans are in place to eliminate the Western Nevada College baseball and softball programs after the 2016 season due to funding shortfalls, most of the incoming freshman recruits plan to honor their letters of intent.
Twelve freshman baseball recruits have decided to play for the Wildcats of Carson City for one season. Only four freshman recruits, including three pitchers, changed their minds about joining the program.
“I am beyond humbled, amazed and super-excited to see how many quality freshmen have shown up on campus,” said WNC 11-year baseball coach D.J. Whittemore. “I think it really is a tribute to all of the Wildcat players who have come through the program in the past. Their success, not only here, but after they left, is what attracted the 2015 class of players to campus.”
The softball team returns 15 players, including several redshirts. Consequently, WNC coach Leah Wentworth recruited just four players — three freshmen and a junior college transfer. All four newcomers are participating in fall workouts. They are pitcher McKell Marble of Brigham City, Utah; outfielder Maddison Neely of Troutdale, Ore.; infielder Chelsea Latu of South Jordan, Utah; and former Colby (Kan.) Community College outfielder Courtnee Higgs.
“It says a lot about what we’ve been doing with the program and the development process,” Wentworth said. Some players are here because of those who have played for us in the past, she said. “They felt confident about what we’re doing here and they’ll go from there.”
A network of current and former players promoting the softball program influenced the recruits, Wentworth said. Marble is the younger sister of Taleas Marble, who hit 16 homers for WNC in 2012. Neely played for a summer team coached by former Wildcat shortstop Melanie Pfeiffer.
“They had such great experiences here and shared that with them,” Wentworth said. “That played a big part in their decision-making process.”
Realizing how much she missed the game a year after graduating from high school, Latu heard positive things about Wentworth’s program from returning WNC players Briauna Carter and Makaylee Jaussi, and decided to play for the Wildcats.
With the freshman recruiting class committed to the baseball program, Whittemore didn’t need to consider other options to fill his roster spots.
“The players we signed were so adamant about coming to WNC — even if for one year — that we really never had to consider an alternative,” Whittemore said.
Incoming student athletes include Casey Cornwell, a shortstop and right-handed pitcher from Beaverton, Ore.; third baseman Chad Bell from Fort Collins, Colo.; outfielder/catcher Chandler Barkdull of Park City, Utah; outfielder Riley Hennings of Salt Lake City; left-handed pitcher Donte Glover of Las Vegas; left-handed pitcher Bronson Ichimura of Honolulu, Hawaii; left-handed pitcher Jordan Ragan of Medford, Ore.; second baseman Jake Tallman of Billings, Mont.; third baseman Daniel Nist of Maple Valley, Wash.; second baseman Nick Rush of Las Vegas; infielder Marco Calderon of Burien, Wash.; and infielder Abe Yagi of Salt Lake City.
Whittemore characterized the group as “a bunch of smart, tough talents who work until their hands bleed, and usually come out on top.”
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