2008-2009 Recruits For Lady Knight Softball

The following are incoming freshman to the Lady Blue Knight softball program for the 2008-2009 season.

Teddi Helsel- Carmi, IL (Carmi-White County H.S.)
Angie Camp- Clay City, IN (Clay City H.S.)
Traci Sanders- Brazil, IN (Northview H.S.)
Megan Cox- Farmersburg, IN (North Central H.S.)
Jordan Maurer- Fort Branch, IN (Gibson Southern H.S.)
Bianca Costantino- Olney, IL (East Richland H.S.)
Callie Hubbell- Noble, IL (West Richland H.S.)
Morgan Clapp- Shelbyville, IN (Shelbyville H.S.)
Traci Crouse- Shelbyville, IN (Shelbyville H.S.)
Jessica Jonas- Camby, IN (Ben Davis H.S.)
Jessica Allen- Princeton, IN (Princeton Community H.S.)
Liz Hoffman- Indianapolis, IN (Ben Davis H.S.)

Along with these freshman, the Lady Knights welcome Kelly Fougerousse from Jasonville, IN. She will be a sophomore transfer from South Georgia College. Kelly attended Terre Haute South High School.

Costantino Signs with OCC

Costantino will play for OCC
By Justin Hatten
Published: Wednesday, July 2, 2008 4:43 PM CDT
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After undergoing elbow surgery last winter, Bianca Costantino thought her softball career might be finished.

However, thanks to hard work and determination, Costantino came back stronger than ever for her senior season with the Olney Lady Tigers, hitting a team-high .354 (29-for-82) with 20 singles, five doubles, two triples, two homers and 13 RBI.

Not only were those numbers good enough to earn her All-Apollo Conference first-team honors, but a college scholarship as well. Costantino inked a letter of intent Tuesday afternoon at East Richland High School to play for new head coach Nick Short and the OCC Lady Blue Knights starting next season.

“This feels great,” said Costantino, who plans to major in law enforcement. “I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to play this year with my injury. I want to thank my family, my coaches and my team. We had a great season and it was a blast. This gives me a chance to keep in touch with my family and still do what I love, which is play softball.”

Costantino played an instrumental role in helping turn the Lady Tigers’ program around. Following back-to-back 10-23 seasons in 2006 and 2007, Matt Powell’s club won a school-record 17 games last spring.

“I’m really excited for Bianca and the opportunity she is getting,” Powell said. “I’m glad she is staying close to home so we will still get to see her play. As soon as she got cleared after the surgery, she wanted to come in and start working out right away. Bianca hung in there and I’m really happy for her.”

Short, a native of Hamilton, has been at OCC for two years and was an assistant under former head coach Rick Porter.

Although he’s still busy wrapping up his first recruiting class, Short has already signed 11 players this offseason, including Costantino and recent West Richland High School graduate Cally Hubbell.

Throw in seven returnees and the future looks bright for the Lady Knights.

“It’s great anytime you can sign a local girl who wants to play,” Short said. “When building a program, that’s where I want to look first. Our goal is to be competitive every game, the whole game, and Bianca is gonna help us out, no doubt about it.”

Short wants to model his program after Dennis Conley’s. The longtime Blue Knights’ skipper will enter his 29th year at OCC with 1,006 victories, 25 straight winning seasons and a field named after him.

“Dennis has been absolutely great in breaking me in,” said Short, who’s played competitive fast-pitch softball since he was 10. “I’m looking forward to making connections with the community and getting things pointed in the right direction. We just want to compete and play hard each and every day.”

Jessica VanDyke has spent the last eight seasons as an assistant coach for the Lady Tigers. After finishing her softball career at ERHS, VanDyke played two years at OCC and is happy to see Costantino receive the same opportunity.

“Bianca is just a good girl and a bundle of energy,” VanDyke said. “It’s always nice to see one of our players get to the next level. Bianca will definitely help them out. It’s sad to see her go but we’re very proud of her.”

News and notes: Costantino and incoming senior Hannah Feutz both received 2008 Decatur Herald & Review All-Area honorable-mention accolades. Feutz went 16-10 during her junior campaign with 184 strikeouts in 174 2/3 innings of work. She compiled a 2.40 ERA.

Along with his coaching duties, Short also teaches Biology, Anatomy and Physiology at OCC.

Northview’s Sanders Signs with Olney Central

By CAREY FOX
Times Sports Editor
Northview graduate Traci Sanders became a starter for the Knights from the time she stepped on the diamond as a freshman.
Next year she will be a Knight of a different color.
On Wednesday, Sanders signed a letter-of-intent to become the newest member of Coach Nick Short’s Olney Central Blue Knight recruiting class for 2008.
The Knights’ shortstop will be amongst friends when she joins Olney with Clay City’s Angie Camp, former Terre Haute South Brave Kelsey Fougerousse and Selena Roman, a former Terre Haute North Patriot, also set to play for the Blue Knights.
“I’ll know a lot of the girls on the team so it’ll help me be more relaxed,” said Sanders. “And I didn’t want to be too far away,” she said with a smile.
Short will be in his first year as the head coach of the program that had a 15-28 record last year. The two-year Biology and Anatomy professor at Olney believes that the Wabash Valley has an abundance of talent to strengthen his program in years to come.
“Indiana doesn’t have a junior college system and Olney is close to the Indiana border,” said Short.
“The level of talent in southwestern Indiana is outstanding. I’d be stupid not to recruit there,” he quipped.
Sanders, who was an All-State Honorable Mention this season, hit .458 this year with 38 hits in 83 at-bats as Northview reached the sectional championship game against perennial foe Martinsville. She also slugged
..627 for the year, scoring 26 runs driving home 22 runs.
Northview coach Bethany Jones feels that Sanders will be a great fit for Olney next year.
“As a player, she’s a natural,” said Jones. “Her knowledge of the game is tremendous and it’s been great to see her grow as a role model and a leader over her four years here.”
Short was also complimentary of not only Sanders ability on the diamond, but her qualities off the field as well.
“She has all the tools,” said Short. “She’s got a great arm, a good softball sense, moves well and she knows the game. She’s also a high character young lady from a great family and that’s what I was looking for in my first class.”
Short’s first recruiting class will be a big one for the two-year junior college. According to the avid fast-pitch softball competitor, 11 players are already signed for next Fall with four more girls already giving verbal commitments.
Sanders expects to compete for time at the shortstop position, but said she’ll likely play several positions.
“The coaches said that I could play shortstop, but I
may play some at third base and really anywhere in
the infield, but maybe not first base because I’m too short,” she joked.
While softball is going to allow her to continue her education under scholarship next year, Sanders is already thinking about her future in academia.
“I really want to major in Athletic Training,” said Sanders. “Olney doesn’t offer that, but I’ll be able to get my general education classes out of the way before going to a four-year school.”
Sanders credits Northview Athletic Trainer, Nicole Gonzales with sparking her interest in the field.
“I just really love being around sports and I really loved our athletic trainer,” said Sanders.
Though both Jones and Short pointed towards some aspects that Sanders needs to work on to make the next step in competition, each were quick to credit her work ethic.
“I think the biggest improvement for her will be at the plate,” said Short. “The pitching at this level is challenging. You’ll see pitchers throwing 63-66 miles per hour day-in, day-out. That’s the main thing.”
“She’ll have to work on her speed and agility with some drills,” said Jones. “But I know once she gets over there she’s going to make the adjustment.”
“Traci most definitely deserves it,” said Jones.
“She’s worked hard and though she’s had slumps, she always worked hard to get through them. When I asked for 110 percent she’d always give 115 percent.”
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