Healy announces 2014 signing class
November 19, 2014 | Softball
Nov. 19, 2014
MADISON, Wis. -- Head softball coach Yvette Healy announced that Wisconsin will welcome four new Badgers to the team next fall. McKenna Heim (Eldridge, Iowa), Melanie Cross (Vail, Arizona), Kelly Welsh (Mishawaka, Indiana) and Stephanie Lombardo (New Berlin, Wisconsin) have all signed national letters of intent to attend and play for the University of Wisconsin beginning in the fall of 2015.
McKenna Heim
5-9, Middle Infield
Eldridge, Iowa (North Scott High School)
Heim, a 5-9 middle infielder, has set seven high school records at North Scott High School and has received several honors. She plays club with the South East Iowa All-Stars under head coach Merle Miller. Coached by Lea Rains at North Scott High School, Heim holds records for single season batting average (.497), single season hits (74), single season stolen bases (42), single season runs scored (47), single season at bats (149), career stolen bases (115) and hits in a career (207). Heim is a three-time First Team 4A All-State Shortstop honoree, three-time 4A All-Conference and 4A All-District recipient. She is also a two-time Second Team All-Metro honoree. Not only has Heim excelled at softball, but she is also a three-year letter winner in volleyball and a two-year letter winner in both basketball and track and field.
Heim on joining the Badgers: "I am very blessed to have the support of my parents and family over the years to help me achieve my goals and dreams. I want to give them a huge THANK YOU for everything. I would also like to thank my coaches and teammates over the years for all their support as well."
Coach Healy on Heim: "McKenna Heim is a speedy, lanky lefty hitter and shortstop from Iowa. She's a run-scorer, who will undoubtedly pressure other teams with her speed at the plate and on the bases. She's grown over the years from an enthusiastic camper, into a big-time BCS shortstop who will make an immediate impact. She's well coached, playing for one of the top travel organizations in the state of Iowa, competing for Merle Miller's Southeast Iowa All-Stars."
Melanie Cross
5-6, Catcher/1B
Vail, Ariz. (Cienega High School)
Cross joins the Badgers from Vail, Arizona, where she has been playing for club coach Shannon Woolridge since the age of eight. The 5-6 catcher currently plays for the AZ Desert Thunder Gold and has collected numerous awards and top finishes. She has played in the Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championships for four-consecutive years, recording a 13th-place finish in 2013 and a top-25 finish in 2011. Cross is an honor roll student and a three-time Softball Academic Award recipient who maintained a 4.0 GPA in season.
Cross has helped lead Cienega High School, coached by Eric Tatham, to top-8 finishes in the state playoffs for three-consecutive seasons. Cross was named 2014 Offensive MVP with a .505 batting average, 47 hits and 44 RBIs. She also was named to 2014 AZ Daily Star second-team Spring Sports Softball All-Star, to 2014 Allsportstucson.com second-team All-Southern Arizona and received Division I Section II All-Selection First-Team honors in 2012.
Coach Healy on Cross: "Melanie Cross is one of the most respected hitters in the state of Arizona. She has great vision and savvy at the plate, with the ability to hit for power to all fields. We are thrilled to welcome a true offensive threat into the program. Her experience and database will serve her well in the Big Ten. Melanie will help us build on our long line of successful Arizona recruits, like Shannel Blackshear, Meg McIntosh, Annie Davis and Kelsey Jenkins."
Kelly Welsh
5-6, Middle Infield (SS/2B)/Outfield
Mishawaka, Ind. (St. Joseph High School (South Bend, Ind.))
Welsh, a 5-6 middle infielder and outfielder, has played for the Beverly Bandits 18U for Bill Conroy since August and brings extensive experience to the field. Welsh is the career-leader in both batting average (.468) and steals at her high school, St. Joseph in South Bend, Indinana. Welsh helped guide St. Joseph, coached by Earl Keith, to three sectional championships and three regional championships. Additionally, she led her team to Semi-State in three-consecutive seasons, is a three-time team MVP and two-time captain. As a sophomore, Welsh earned Honorable Mention for the All-Northern Indiana Conference and was named to the Fort Wayne/South Bend All-Diocese Softball team. As a junior, Welsh was named to First-Team All-Northern Indiana Conference & Third-Team All-State.
Welsh is also a member of the National Honors Society, is a Student Ambassadors, and has received High Honors. She is also a four-year letter winner in soccer.
Welsh on becoming a Badger: "I would like to thank my parents (Joann and Jim) for all of their patience and hard work, which allowed me to turn my dreams into a reality. This would not have been possible without their love and support. I can't wait to be a Badger!"
Coach Healy on Welsh: "We're thrilled to welcome one of the best all-around student-athletes from the state of Indiana, Kelly Welsh to the Badger Softball family. Kelly's leadership and maturity are off the charts. She's a smart, outgoing, well-rounded athlete who can play shortstop and centerfield at the highest level. Her speed, leadership and work-ethic separate her from most recruits in the country. She's facing the best competition in the country this year, playing short stop for Bill Conroy's Beverly Bandits organization."
Stephanie Lombardo
6-2, 1B
New Berlin, Wis. (New Berlin Eisenhower High School)
Stephanie Lombardo comes to the UW from New Berlin, Wisconsin. As a junior, the 6-2 first baseman helped lead New Berlin Eisenhower High School, coached by Jeff Setz, to a third-place finish in the 2014 DII Wisconsin State Tournament. Lombardo was named team captain as a junior, and was the Woodland Conference Player of the Year recipient. The three-year letter winner has also earned First-team All-State, is a two-time First-Team All-Area and Woodland Conference First-Team All-Conference honoree and received All-Area Player of the Year Honors as a junior.
Lombardo also competes for the Illinois Chill Gold GQ coached by Gerry Quinn. The junior has maintained High Honor Roll with a 4.0+ during her high school career.
Coach Healy on Lombardo: "We are extremely excited to welcome Wisconsin hometown hero, and left handed power hitter, Stephanie Lombardo to the Badgers. Steph is one of the top softball players in the state of Wisconsin. She's made huge strides, competing for Gerry Quinn's Illinois Chill program, traveling to the top Premiere tournaments across the country. Our staff has made it a priority to recruit the best student-athletes in the state of Wisconsin to compete for the Badgers. We are looking to build on the unprecedented success that we've had with our Badger walk-on program, by securing the top scholarship athletes in the state of Wisconsin, like Steph Lombardo, as well."
