Bears Athletics - Softball Signs Five

Shaw University Signs Five New Players

to the Women's Softball Team

(Raleigh, NC) – Shaw University today announced the signing of five new players to the women’s softball team. The players come from across the country: two from North Carolina, two from California, and one from Georgia.

Head Coach Kimberly Miller, entering her second year as the Lady Bears coach,

said of the signing class, “I am extremely excited about the young ladies that have

signed to be a part the Shaw University family and its Women's Softball program.

They all are not just athletically gifted, but academically sound. Four of the young ladies

graduated from high school with high academic honors. I am looking forward to working

with them for the upcoming season, and the rest of their collegiate careers."

The signees are

	Phytina Hyde (Infielder) Fayetteville, NC – led her team with a .391 batting average and was among the leaders in both hitting and fielding in Cumberland County.
	Rikki Piercefield (Infielder) Stockton, CA – Has been award a Shaw University Presidential Scholarship, and graduated high school with a cumulative GPA of 3.75.
	Erica Lafrades (Utility) Pittsburg, CA – Named 2009 MVP for the Pittsburg High School softball team, as well as being named First Team All-Conference (Bay Valley Athletic League). She has been accepted to Shaw’s STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Math) program which accepts only those students with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
	Nikita Burroughs (Infielder) Atlanta, GA – Is a transfer from Alabama A&M University, where she started 20 games as a freshman.
	Chelsea Holliday (Infielder) Burlington, NJ – Made All-County (Burlington County) Team with a .420 batting average at Burlington Township High School.

These players join a team that went 12-19 in 2008, but with some established talent,

including All- Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) First Team Monica

Grimmage (first base), and Malta Gumbs (Utility) and Curtisha Jones (Infielder) who

made both the All-CIAA Second Team and the CIAA All-Rookie Team.

The Lady Bears softball team opens its season with a doubleheader against West

Virginia State University at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex on February 4, 2010.