by Matt Dunaway, Associate Sports Information Director
BATON ROUGE – Head coach Yvette Girouard announced the signing of Jacee Blades, Kaley Coonce, Simone Heyward, Meghan Patterson and Tammy Wray Tuesday to National Letters of Intent to continue their softball careers at LSU.
The quintet will enter as freshmen for the 2011 season. To view the newest editions of the Tiger softball family signing their NLI’s, click on the photo gallery to the right.
“Our staff is overjoyed at the prospect of these young women wearing the purple and gold and representing LSU,” Girouard said. “Tremendous academic students, loving, and supportive parents along with extremely talented athletes represent this newest class of LSU softball players.”
“This class marks the first recruits committed to the program seeing the finished product of the magnificent Tiger Park,” Girouard continued. “The stadium is enjoying a 99% commitment list in its first full year of operation. Our 2011 class represents an effort by the coaching staff that includes players from coast to coast and also includes two of Louisiana’s best products. Included in this class are two pitchers, softball elite speed, power hitting and slick fielding skills.”
Blades, a 5-8 infielder and outfielder, played for former LSU All-American Ashlee Ducote at Parkview Baptist High School in Baton Rouge. The speedster was a two-time All-District and All-State selection as her team was the state runner-up in 2008 and 2009.
Jacee [Baton Rouge, La.] is the daughter of Gene and Jeanne Blades. She chose the Tigers over Baylor and Louisiana-Lafayette.
Coonce, a 5-8 infielder and pitcher from Johnston City in Illinois, is the two-time Southern Illinois Player of the Year. She also tallied a pair of All-State picks as a career .500 hitter and recorded a 61-6 mark in the circle with a 0.25 ERA, 22 shutouts and 11 no-hitters.
Kaley [Johnston City, Ill.] is the daughter of Terry and Stacey Coonce. She picked LSU over Georgia, Northwestern and Notre Dame.
Heyward, a 5-1 outfielder from Rosemont High School in California, was an All-League and All-Metro First-Team pick. She holds program records for batting average and stolen bases.
Simone [Sacramento, Calif.] is the daughter of Earl and Mavis Heyward. She selected LSU over Stanford and California.
Patterson, a 5-8 pitcher from Mt. Carmel Academy in New Orleans, is the reigning Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year. She racked up 74 wins and 769 strikeouts on a 0.80 ERA during her career en route to 5A State MVP accolades in 2008 and 2009.
Meghan [New Orleans, La.] is the daughter of Lance and Bethanne Patterson. She chose LSU over Louisiana-Lafayette.
Wray, a 5-8 infielder from Somers High School in New York, was a four-time Journal News and North County First-Team All Star. A career .500 hitter, Wray also notched All-State First-Team honors in 2009.
Tammy [Katonah, N.Y.] is the daughter of Sean and Tara Wray. She picked the Tigers over Alabama, Florida and South Florida.
LSU opens the 2010 season at the Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational where the Tigers square off against North Carolina, DePaul and host Texas, a trio of NCAA Tournament squads from a season ago.
LSU is sixth nationally and has compiled an impressive 441-137-1 record since Girouard took over the program prior to the 2001 season.
