Great ’10 recruiting class: Ravens’ Fitzsimmons to join champs

June 11, 2009 3:38 pm
Ravens star Amanda Fitzsimmons
Ravens star Amanda Fitzsimmons

Washington softball coach Heather Tarr announced Thursday the signing of two additional players to an already solid 2010 recruiting class, with local standouts Amanda Fitzsimmons and Maggie Wagner joining the squad next fall.

Fitzsimmons was a standout pitcher at Auburn Riverside High School where she led the Ravens to the 4A state semifinals this year. A four-time all-state selection, she was named the SPSL league MVP her senior year for the third time, also garnering the honor her freshman and junior seasons. Auburn Riverside won the league championship in three of her four years as she was named first-team all-League all four seasons.

“Amanda is one of the top players in the Seattle area,” Tarr said. “Her left-handed bat will be a nice addition to our offense. She has been a legitimate pitcher at the 18-U level over the past few years and we plan to give her an opportunity to develop as a pitcher within our program.”

Wagner was a three-year letterwinner at Woodinville High School where she was named the KingCo 4A Player of the Year in 2009. A two-time first-team All-Kingco shortstop, she led the Falcons to the state tournament three times.

“Maggie is a tremendous athlete who will learn quickly and adapt well in our system,” Tarr said. “She is an amazing student who will perform well here at UW.”

The two will join previous signees Jerrin Faasua (Oceanside, Calif.), Melanie Fagaly (Chino, Calif.), Baily Harris (Longview, Wash.), and Shawna Wright (Lancaster, Calif.) in one of Tarr’s best recruiting classes in her five years. The six will try to add to an already strong group of returning players for the national champions, including National Player of the Year Danielle Lawrie, 2007 All-American Jenn Salling, 2009 All-Pac-10 performers Kimi Pohlman and Morgan Stuart and Women’s College World Series All-Tournament selection Niki Williams.

The Huskies will look to defend their national championship next year despite the loss of the seven-player senior class of Alicia Blake, Ashley Charters, Lauren Greer, Marnie Koziol, Dani Stuart, Jessica Ventoza and Ashlyn Watson, who led the Huskies to their first-ever national title last week.