Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Softball Signs Five
November 21, 2013 | Cowgirl Softball
Nov. 21, 2013
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Oklahoma State softball team has signed five high school seniors to play their collegiate softball at Oklahoma State starting in the 2014-15 academic year, head coach Rich Wieligman announced today. This year's signing class has been ranked as high as No. 15, according to one softball recruiting service.
"Overall, with speed, power and athleticism, this is one of the most athletic classes that we've had," Wieligman said.
Mallory Collins, an outfielder from Sand Spring, Okla., hit .491 her senior year for Sand Springs High School. She had a.574 on base percentage, 11 stolen bases, eight home runs, two triples, 19 doubles and 37 runs batted in. For her career, Collins hit .441 with 56 doubles and 140 RBIs. She was named all-district, district Player of the Year, all-region, All-State and was the Tulsa World player of the week two times as a senior. She played summer ball with the Tulsa Elite 95.
"Mallory is a five-tool player," Wieligman said. "She's going to be able to run and steal bases. She's going to be an outfielder for us. She's also going to hit for both average and power."
Jessi Haffner, a Wichita, Kan., native, is a pitcher and first baseman for three-time state champion Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. Her junior year, she sported a 0.99 earned run average, struck out 93 batters while walking just 14. Offensively, she batted .536 with 41 RBIs, 26 runs and six home runs. Haffner is a three-time first-team Class 5A All-State pitcher, two-time Wichita All-Metro selection and three-time first-team all-city pick. She is also the 2013 CatchItKansas Softball Player of the Year, a top 5 preseason athlete for 2013 and a Wendy's Heisman finalist. Also a volleyball player for Bishop Carroll Catholic, she was a 2013 first-team all-city selection.
"Jessi is a pitcher and first baseman," Wieligman said. "She's going to give us great depth in our pitching staff. She'll come in and do a good job in the circle and be a good complement to our other pitchers. At first base, she does a great job defensively and she can swing the bat with power."
Maddi Holcomb, a shortstop from North Richland Hills, Texas, hit .589 her junior season for Richland High School. She also scored 48 runs, had 25 stolen bases and had a .795 slugging percentage in 112 at-bats. She was named to the Texas All-State team, the first-team Fort Worth Star-Telegram Super Team, the Dallas Morning News all-area second-team and was the district's Offensive Player of the Year. She is a three-time all-district first-team selection, and a three-time academic all-district selection. Holcomb is also a Richland High basketball player where she was an all-district first-team selection and named academic all-district as well.
"Maddi is an outfielder and a left-handed slapper with great speed," Wieligman said. "She plays the game hard with great passion and she leaves it on the field. She's going to bring a lot of energy, and she's a kid that will get on base a lot and score a lot of runs."
Randee O'Donnell, a shortstop out of Tahlequah, Okla., helped lead Tahlequah High School to its fourth-straight state tournament appearance this past fall. As a senior, she compiled a .692 slugging percentage and a .524 on-base percentage, and had only 10 strikeouts in 150 plate appearances. For her career, she had a .442 average, with 41 runs scored, 13 stolen bases and a team-high 45 runs batted in. She also put up a .957 fielding percentage, which helped her garner All-State honors.
"Randee brings us versatility at the left side of the infield and she might be able to move to the right side as well," Wieligman said. "She has great hands, which is vital in the infield. She grew up around the game, so she has a wealth of knowledge. Her dad played baseball, so her knowledge of the game serves her well. As a right-handed hitter, she's going to hit for good average and power and she had good speed."
Vanessa Shippy, a Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, native, plays second base for Lake City High School and Southern California Explosion in the summer. Her junior season at Lake City, Shippy hit for a school-record .737 average. She set school records in hits (70), runs (69), on-base percentage (.776) and steals (56) in a season, while also collecting 30 RBIs. Throughout her high school career, she was named an NFCA first-team All-American, a MaxPreps first-team All-American, and a Junior Player of the Year finalist. She is a three-time Inland Empire All-League Player and three-time All-State selection. Her freshman year, she was named Inland Empire Newcomer of the Year. She also helped lead Lake City to undefeated Idaho Class 5A State Championships in her freshman and junior seasons.
"Shippy is overall our highest-rated player," Wieligman said. "She brings tenacity to the game that is second to none. She's a student of the game and plays hard. She's a left-handed hitter who can slap it and hit home runs. She's a five-tool player from that prospective. Her best attribute will be her mind and how she plays the game. She just knows how to get the job done, and her work ethic will carry this team and bring the team up. She's the type of leader that will bring the team to a whole new level."
