MD's college players

Where are they now?

MARYLAND COLLEGE STARS. Here's an update on past Maryland high school and travel-ball fastpitch softball stars who are playing now at the college level. This is hardly all of them. It is a snapshot of a few among many spread across the country. The short briefs below focus primarily on D1 and D2 schools. This blog will report on D3 later, as well. 

Watch this blog for more stories about these players and others in the weeks ahead. Comments, suggestions about coverage, or tips about a player's performance on the college diamond are very welcome at the email address: xtremeshowcaseblog@gmail.com.

Updates on 52 MD hometown players at 21 schools...

Megan Hyson

● The Georgetown Hoyas' freshman pitcher Megan Hyson travels this weekend to Spartansburg, SC, for contests against UNC-Wilmington Seahawks, George Mason Patriots, Howard University Bison, and USC-Upstate Spartans. The Pasadena, MD, hometown gal and former Seton Keough standout so far in this short season has held opposing batters to a batting percentage of .217 in two appearances and six innings pitched.

Megan was a travel-ball teammate with pitcher Emily Weiman, now of the NC State Wolfpack, who, as this blog reported, last weekend pitched a 3-2 win over the #10 ranked Georgia Bulldogs. The two played together on the club teams Lake Shore Lightning and the Riviera Beach Spirit Gold.

 ● The Drexel Dragons have had a slow start, but sophomore pitcher Shelby Taylor, who hails from Easton High, MD, has been throwing her Ks and junior first base Jenn Reading, who once played for Kent Island High (Stevensville, MD), already has sent a home run shot past the centerfield fence just last weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Emmie Burke

● The Shippensburg Raiders lost five key seniors from last season, but they are back with nine highly praised freshman. All of the new players were inked during last year’s early signing period. 

The Raiders open their season this Saturday, February 18, with two former Maryland high school stars – each from different corners of the state – that are itching to go! 

Maddie Justice

First, there's freshman second base Emmie Burke, an all-county C. Milton Wright High star (Bel-Air, MD), who has been touted as a newcomer “to watch”. Then, there's pitcher, first base, outfielder  Maddie Justice, a Stephen Decatur star (Bishopville, MD), who, by playing several positions, may become “a workhorse for the team”, says the Shippensburg website.

Autumn Taylor

● The GW Chanticleers have been finding wins tough to come by, but a bright spot has been slugging junior outfielder Autumn Taylor from Severna Park High, MD, who has been knocking runners home, and has already slammed a couple of home runs.

Kourtney Salvarola

● The UFS Bulls (University of South Florida) are inching closer to the top 25 rankings as the team went 3-1 in its opening games, losing only to #3 Florida in extra innings. No stats posted yet for the last game, but in the first three contests sophomore shortstop Kourtney Salvarola from Broadneck High School (Arnold, MD) had two hits, scored twice, knocked in 3 RBIs, and was walked three times. As a freshman last year, she started all 53 games for the university.

Melanie Mitchell

● The UVa Cavaliers are unbeaten in their first four outings, while junior pitcher, first base Melanie Mitchell, from McDonough High (White Plains, MD), tossed 13 strikeouts on opening day against the East Carolina Pirates. As a freshman, Melanie tied the single season record for wins in a season with 27. Click here for gallery photos of Melanie.

● The UMES Hawks who struggled with three outings in Irondale, AL, now travel to Elizabeth City, NC, for two games this weekend. However, sophomore catcher Cherokee Williams from Upper Marlboro, MD, opened the first game with two hits, two runs scored, and 4 RBIs. Junior Shaniqa Roane of Forestville Military Academy (Suitland, MD) started at second base.

Nicole Loewenstein

● The Seton Hall Pirates open their season tomorrow, Saturday, February 18, with senior catcher Nicole Loewenstein, previously of  John Carroll High (Joppa, Md), behind the plate. "She does a great job in studying scouting reports, does what's necessary to learn how to call the game out there" said Head Coach Ray Vander May. " I've never had a catcher quite like her."

Sloane Van Meter

● Maryland Terps take the field this morning, Friday, February 17, in Boca Rotan, FL, for their first 2012 at-bats against the Long Island Blackbirds and #11 Michigan Wolverines. On the squad this year are senior catcher, outfielder Sloane Van Meter from Archbishop Spalding (Hanover, MD), sophomore catcher, infielder Kelly Trimble from St. Vincent Pallotti High (Laurel, MD), freshman utility Bridget Hawvermal from James Hubert Blake High (Sandy Spring, MD), and freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Schmeiser from Northern High (Dunkirk, MD).

Haley Stueckler

● The Towson Tigers start their season today, Friday, February 17, with a games against the Robert Morris Colonials and the Saint Joseph’s Hawks. Senior second base Haley Stueckler who played at Huntingtown High, MD, is part of a team who has a goal set by Head Coach Lisa Costello “to win the Colonial Athletic Association Championship.”

Jordan Waterloo

● The Goldey-Beacom Lightning spark their new season next Friday, February 24, in non-conference play against Fairmont State University's Fighting Falcons and the Glenville State College Pioneers. Marylanders on the roster are senior pitcher, utility Shannon O'Hara of LaPlata High, MD, senior third base, first base Jordan Waterloo of Thomas Stone High (Waldorf, MD), sophomore pitcher Roni Peters of Leonardtown High, MD, freshman catcher, outfielder Karina Twining of Easton High, MD,

● The Wilmington University Wildcats are off on a Spring Break trip to Clermont,FL, next week where the team will play nearly half its 2012 schedule and 18 different schools before returning home Sunday, March 11. Senior catcher AmandaCrockett of North East High, MD, undoubtedly will be preparing by visualizing her leadoff fifth inning home run last year to beat Ferris State University 2-1 in their home opener in Kissimmee, FL.

Jordan Reid

● The DSU Hornets travel to Jacksonville, FL, in early March to play their first games. As this blog has posted previously, senior outfielder, second base Jordan Reid of Gwynn Park High (Accokeek, MD) begins 2012 as the conference's “Preseason Player of the Year”. Reid was second in the nation with a .497 batting average last season. Senior Chelsea Stern, an All-County Player of the Year at Northern High (Wings, MD), will patrol the outfield.

Tiffani Whaley

● The Coppin Eagles will fly south next week as the preseason #2 conference pick to challenge the South Carolina State Bulldogs. On board are four Maryland homebased players: pitcher Tiffani Whaley of White Plain, MD, catcher, third base Nicole Boggs of Great Mills, MD, and outfielders Taylor Kairos and Patrice Williams of Baltimore, MD.

Sharde' Es

● The Hampton University Pirates set sail on their season's course today, Friday, February 17, against the Albemarle Dolphins in Hampton, VA. The team struggled with injuries last year, but return this season with eight letter-winners, including senior third base Sharde' Estep of Gwynn Park High (Aquasco , MD) and junior outfielder Adrianna Scott of Old Mill High (Laurel, MD).

Jordan Eades

● The Morgan State Lady Bears are in Boiling Spring, NC, this afternoon, to do battle with Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs. They are coming off a 2011 second place conference finish, their best performance in years. Sophomore pitcher Jordan Eades of Franklin High (Reistertown, MD) will find work in the circle this year.

Stephanie Dameron

● The Radford University Highlanders have had considerable success in the last three seasons. So, they have high hopes this year for great achievements, especially with their strong pitching depth. Last year, sophomore pitcher Stephanie Dameron from St. Mary's Ryken (Dameron, MD) led the pitching staff with 152 inning of work for a 1.89 ERA, a 16-6 record, and ranked second in the country in fewest walks per 7 innings pitched (0.64).

Brittany Hyatt

● West Virginia Yellow Jackets host the Queens College Knights in early March to start their season schedule. Two Hagerstown, MD, standouts are seniors Brittany Hyatt and Desiree Giffin (who also plays on the WVU golf team). Brittany was the 2010 WVIAC Player of the Year.

Jade Bowins

● The Sacred Heart Pioneers are the defending conference champions with several new faces in the lineup. The school looks to sophomore outfielder Jade Bowins, formerly of Gov. Thomas Johnson High (Frederick, MD) as a key player. She was labeled the “stellar rookie” last year when she batted .333 and scored 30 runs. Pioneers first game is next Friday, February 24, against the IPFW Mastodons and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.

Kelly Hickman

● Mount St. Mary's Mountineers will open their season next Friday, February 24, with a large crew of Maryland fastpitch players on the roster. There's junior second base, utility Kelly Hickman from Chesapeake High (Pasadena, MD), junior outfielder Erin Leddy from St. Mary's Ryken (Great Falls, MD), sophomore first base, outfielder Bre Lohman from Boonsboro High (Sharpsburg, MD) and FOUR freshmen: third base Casey Beck from Severna Park High, MD, catcher Rachel Teti from Linganore High (Mt. Airy, MD), pitcher Hayley Stankan from Allegany High (Cumberland, MD), and HollyBuckel from North Carroll High (Finksburg, MD)

Delaney Bell

● The Shepherd Rams will be in Greeneville, TN, for their first games next week. Our West Virginia neighbor probably has more Maryland high school players than any other DII school. There's 9 of 'em! They are: SENIORS catcher Kris Durham from Queen Anne, MD and infielder Delaney Bell from Glen Burnie, MD; SOPHOMORES pitcher Alexis Fisher from Sharpsburg, MD and outfielder Alysha Voytell from Frederick, MD; FRESHMEN infielder Shanan Plunkett from Hagerstown, MD, utility Kristen Juenger from Frederick, MD, outfielder TaylerSchaefer from Dunkirk, MD, catcher Elisa Orlandi from Owings, MD, and catcher, third base Savannah Snyder from Elkton, MD