Ohio State Signs Five to National Letters of Intent – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 17, 2005
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball program has received commitments from five student-athletes to join the Buckeyes for the 2006-07 season, head coach Linda Kalafatis has announced. The five high school standouts include Ohio’s Leah Ledford, a senior at Lakota West High School, three from California, including Megan Miller (Woodland Hills, Calif./El Camino Real H.S.), Sam Marder, (Calabasas, Calif./Calabasas H.S.) and Whitney Cooper (Barstow, Calif./Barstow H.S.), and Valparaiso, Fla., native Victoria (Tory) Haddad (Fort Walton Beach H.S.).
Cooper, the first to commit to the recruiting class, could play right away for the Buckeyes at her main position, shortstop. She was her conference’s Most Valuable Player in 2005 after earning all-league honors in 2004 and being named All-CIF.
“Whitney is a very athletic player who has an excellent glove, moves well and has a strong arm,” Kalafatis said. “We are in need of a shortstop and with her athleticism she’ll be able to come in and make an impact. Whitney is also an excellent student and is her senior class president, so she has solid leadership skills, which is important from the shortstop position.”
Haddad brings strength and versatility and could help the Buckeyes at third base, catcher or first base. She was named first-team all-area and all-state at third base last season and was named the MVP of her team. Haddad earned MVP honors of the Disney Diamond Classic and Auburn Exposure Tournament in 2004 and led her High Intensity U-18 Gold squad in batting average.
“I anticipate Tory being a corners player or catcher for us,” Kalafatis said. “Tory reminds me of our Kristine Himes (OSU’s all-time home run leader). She is a strong kid with great power and a strong arm, which suits her to play third or catch and she ranks in the Top 1-percent of her class. Tory is a kid who will give us everything she’s got. She connected very well with us from the very beginning of the recruiting process.”
Ledford, a rangy outfielder, was a first-team All-Greater Miami Conference and all-district selection last year. A member of the honor roll and the J. Kyle Braid Leadership Foundation Award recipient, she has helped lead her club team, the Central Ohio Stingrays, to the state championship at the last four levels (12U, 14U, 16U and 18U) and to a third place finish at the National Softball Association 2004 national championship.
“Leah was born to be a Buckeye,” Kalafatis said. “As a sophomore at the national camp, I saw her and was impressed by her strength and potential for power even back then. She is a very good student and led Lakota West to the state semifinals last spring. She has good size, a strong arm, runs well and has the potential to really develop into a good player.”
Miller and Marder are from neighboring school districts and together comprised the pitcher-catcher duo for the powerful Valley Breeze Softball Club. Marder, the catcher, was a first-team All-Marmonte League selection the last two years and was named first-team all-area.
“On the field and off the field, Megan and Sam know each other very well, which is great for a battery,” Kalafatis said, noting Marder’s grandfather and great uncle are graduates of OSU’s medical school and are well-known neurosurgeons. “Sam has a very powerful bat and can not only hit for power, but for average, too. I see her being in the middle of our lineup and being a feared hitter in the Big Ten.”
Miller, a 6-foot-1-inch pitcher, was first-team all-conference the past three seasons and was named league MVP as a sophomore and junior. In January she will be inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
“Megan has a great pitcher’s build she has all the pitches,” Kalafatis said. “My staff and I are very impressed with how competitive and composed she is on the mound. After playing for Valley Breeze and Tommy Sotelo, we know Sam and Megan will be tough ball players who will be accountable on the field and off. With their club team experience, they will adapt to college softball very well.”
“All five of these players loved everything about Ohio State and our softball program,” Kalafatis said. “They are impressive young ladies and will represent the Buckeyes well. They are very determined to help us get back into the nation’s elite of college softball.”
Ohio State begins practice for its 2006 season Jan. 16.
### GO BUCKS! ###
