Wisconsin Softball Signs Four
November 15, 2007 | Softball
Head softball coach Chandelle Schulte announced Thursday that four high school seniors, Jordan Skinner, Karla Powell, Kristen Rock and Eileen Garcia, have signed national letters of intent to attend the University of Wisconsin and play softball for the Badgers starting in the fall of 2008.
Jordan Skinner, a shortstop from Tualatin, Ore. was named 2nd team All-State and defensive MVP last year and is a three-time 1st team All-League selection. In her freshman season, she led all players in the State of Oregon with her .541 batting average. Skinner is the starting shortstop for the Oregon Panthers Gold.
'As a left-handed slapper, she'll add speed to our lineup,' said Schulte. 'She's also played at a very competitive level and we think she'll be able to come in and transfer that talent right into college ball. Jordan is a very versatile player; her speed is a tremendous asset to us. Defensively, she 's quick up the middle and has a love for the game.'
Karla Powell (Ashburn, Va.) was a member of the Broad Run High School's 2007 Virginia AA state softball championship team. USA Today and the NFCA ranked Powell 's team as the No. 5 high school team in the country as they went 29-0 last season. She is a two-time 1st team Washington Post All-Met selection, three-time 1st team All-Dulles District honoree, three-time 1st team All-Regional selection and two-time 2nd team All-State honoree. Powell was a member of the Virginia Shamrocks Gold team, who won the 2005 ISF 16U Jr. World Cup and took fifth place at the 2007 ASA Gold National Championships.
'Karla will vie for a position at first base,' commented Schulte. 'She has a tremendous amount of power but also is extremely agile and athletic for a first baseman. Karla has won at every level (she was on the 10U championship team in 2000) and brings a competitive spirit to our program. Her heart and soul is with Wisconsin athletics.'
Kristen Rock, a catcher from Overland Park, Kan. is a member of the Olathe East High School Hawks who won back-to-back-to-back Kansas 6A state softball titles in 2005-07 and has gone 71-2 in that time span. She is also a three-time 1st team All-State selection, was named to the 1st team of the NFCA South Central Region team as a catcher and received 3rd team NFCA All-American honors. Rock excels off the field as well as she received NFCA Academic All-American accolades, is on the 4.0 honor roll and is a member of the 21st Century Leadership Program. In the summer, she plays for the Kansas City Peppers.
'Kristen is an intelligent young lady who is very diverse in the things that she does,' said Schulte. 'She's not one-dimensional on the field or off the field, which is something that we like (as coaches.) She's anticipated to see a lot of time behind the plate coming in as a freshman. She certainly has the tools to get her to where she needs to go and is a tireless worker.'
Eileen Garcia (Colton, Calif.) will join the Badger pitching staff. Her career ERA hovers around 1.82 and she was a member of the 2006 16 U Corona Angels California state champions who took ninth place at the national tournament. As a junior, Garcia received the Distinguished Athlete Award and became a member of the National Honor Society.
'Eileen really replaces Eden Brock who graduated last year,' said Schulte. 'She has a nice drop ball and is a quick learner. She'll come in at game speed and ready to play.'
