University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Softball Announces 2016 Recruiting Class
11/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh softball head coach Holly Aprile has announced the signing of five National Letters of Intent. Joining the Panthers in the fall of 2016 will be Hannah Edwards, Alexee Haynes, Brittany Knight, Connor McGaffic and Valerie Ortega.
“We have very high expectations for this group,” said Aprile. “We are looking for the 2016 class to bring an injection of both power and speed. Filling the void that the current senior class has established will not be an easy task, but this group has the talent and the work ethic to help ease the transition.”
Hannah Edwards | Catasauqua, Pa.
Edwards, out of Catasauqua High School, will join the Pitt softball team in 2016 as the No. 7 recruit in the country, per Flo Softball. She is a three-year varsity starter, three-time First-Team All-State outfielder, three-time Morning Call All-Area selection and three-time All-Colonial League First Team honoree. MaxPreps has named Edwards to its All-American Softball Team, Underclass All-America Softball Team and Small Schools All-American Team over her career thus far. She currently holds the Pennsylvania state records for hits in a season (57), stolen bases in a season (57) and career stolen bases (140). Edwards’ additional accolades include Morning Call Player of the Year (junior season), Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year finalist, and USA Today All-USA pre and postseason softball team.
Edwards currently plays club ball for the Pa. Chaos Gold under Joe Spina. Chaos is ranked No. 8 in the country by Flo Softball. In addition, Edwards was a two-year starter on her school’s field hockey team.
Not only is she a standout on the field, but Edwards excels in the classroom. Edwards is an honors student and serves as National Honor Society Vice President of Membership, Student Council Vice President, Varsity Club Treasurer and the news and sports editor for the student newspaper.
“Pitt has so many things to offer,” said Edwards. “It has one of the best programs for Rehabilitation Science in the country and every student-athlete gets to compete in the ACC. The balance between great academics and highly competitive athletics makes Pitt a perfect match. I also love the atmosphere of the city. It truly feels like home.”
Alexee Haynes | Sissonville, W. Va.
Alexee Haynes is another addition to the 2016 Panther roster, a third and first baseman hailing from Sissonville High School in W. Va. As a freshman, Haynes was recognized as Rookie of the Year and was nominated to the Kanawha Valley All-Rookie Team. She is a three-time First Team All-State selection and was nominated to the All-Kanawha Valley Team during her sophomore and junior seasons. Hayes has led the Lady Indians to the Cardinal Conference Championship two years in a row, clinching the W. Va. AA State Softball Championship this past season while being chosen to the All-Tournament Team.
Apart from high school, Haynes has been a member of the Beverly Bandits since 2014. Under the direction of Jennifer Tyrrell and Rona Dorsey, Haynes helped the Bandits finish second in PGF Nationals and win the ASA Gold National Championship in 2015. For the past two years, she has been ranked in the top 100 recruits by both Flo Softball and Full Count.
Off the field, Haynes stands out academically, maintaining a 4.75 GPA. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and made ‘A’ honor roll all three years of high school. As a Panther, she hopes to further her education in Engineering or Federal Government.
“I chose to come to Pitt because the location was perfect for me,” said Haynes. “I really like the big city and I have always been a Pittsburgh sports fan. I also chose Pitt because of the coaches’ knowledge of the game and I want to be a part of a program that is looking to succeed.”
Brittany Knight | Windham, Ohio
The Panthers also add a pitcher and third basemen in Brittany Knight, who will join Pitt from Windham High School in Windham, Ohio. Knight earned consecutive selections to the All-Northeastern Athletic Conference First Team and helped lead the Bombers to back-to-back NAC championships in her sophomore and junior campaigns. Knight also led Windham to a district title as a sophomore and a district runner-up finish in her junior year. As a freshman, Knight earned First Team All-Portage Trail Conference and Player of the Year honors on the way to winning a PTC title.
Knight plays summer ball for the Ohio Lasers Blue club team under head coach J.P. Flaherty. In 2014, she helped her team win the 16 and under ASA/USA National Championship.
Standing out in the classroom, Knight was named president of the National Honor Society and Student Council while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
“Pitt is a beautiful city with opportunity,” said Knight. “The atmosphere is exciting and fun. Coach Aprile and her staff have a great program and offer a ton of knowledge to the game. The team is energetic with unlimited potential and I cannot wait to be a part of it.”
Connor McGaffic | Georgetown, Pa.
Connor McGaffic, a utility player who can play infield or outfield, joins Pitt from South Side Beaver High School in Georgetown, Pa. She was named Class A All-State First Team and to the Tribune Terrific 10 as a freshman and helped lead the Rams to the WPIAL Class Championship Game as a sophomore. McGaffic was named Player of the Year, First Team All-Area and MSA Sports Diamond Dolls Softball All-Star following her sophomore season. She sat out due to injury her junior year.
In club play, McGaffic helped lead her team to a fifth place finish in the South Dakota ASA Nationals for Team Pennsylvania. She is currently playing for the Beverly Bandits under coach Chad Morgan.
Academically, McGaffic has earned honor roll in each of her three years of high school so far.
“I live in a small town and when I visited Pitt and walked around for the first time, I fell in love with how busy the campus was,” said McGaffic. “I like the change in scenery, the facilities and the coaches are great! Since I'm undecided on a major, I liked how I have many options to choose from. I can't wait to be there and experience college life.”
Valerie Ortega | Northglenn, Colo.
Valerie Ortega joins the Panthers from Mountain Range High School in Northglenn, Colo. Ortega is interchangeable as a catcher, third baseman and shortstop. She is a two-time First Team All-State selection and was named team captain for her junior and senior seasons. Ortega led Mountain Range to the program’s best record in school history in three consecutive seasons and earned First Team All-Conference in her freshman, junior and senior years. As a senior, Ortega helped lead her team to both regional and state championships. As a result, she was invited to play in the Senior All-State game. She is a two-time winner of the Heavy Hitter Award.
Ortega played three consecutive seasons of club ball under head coach Dan Burns as a member of the Colorado Stars Gold team where she served as the team’s starting catcher.
Academically, Ortega was named Student of the Month in 2014 and enjoys coursework in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, media productions, English and marketing.
“I simply fell in love with the campus and city,” said Ortega. “I can visualize myself living there and see myself having a future at Pitt. I want to have an impact on taking Pitt softball to the next level and feel good connections with the coaches and players.”
The Panthers will open their season in February with tournament play at Mercer University in Marcon, Ga.
Keep up with everything Pitt softball related by checking out PittsburghPanthers.com or following the team on Twitter and Instagram.
