Nebraska Inks Four in Early Signing Period

Head Coach Rhonda Revelle announced on Friday that the <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska softball program had received national letters-of-intent from a talented four-player group that will join the Huskers for the 2007-08 school year.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Making up this year’s class is Julianne Brechtel, an infielder from Fullerton, Calif., Ashley Guile, a first-team high school All-America first baseman for Olathe (Kan.) EastHigh School, fellow Olathe native Abby Hughes and Tori Tyson, a right-handed pitcher from Corona, Calif.

 

Nebraska has gone to proven and familiar territory to sign players for this year’s class. With the addition of Guile and Hughes, Nebraska has now signed four players from the Olathe area since 2003, including three players from OlatheEastHigh School. Brechtel and Tyson each played for the Corona Angels, joining current freshman outfielder Crystal Gonzalez, who also played for the Angels, which are coached by Marty Tyson, Tori’s father.

 

Revelle was pleased with the caliber of the class and is excited to see what each player can accomplish in her Husker career.

 

“We have high expectations for the 2007 class and how it will impact our program both on the field, in the class room, and in the community,” Revelle said. “This is an outstanding group of student-athletes and we are proud to have them at Nebraska.

 

“They will excite the fans with their play, and be excellent role models to the young people in our community."

 

Nebraska’s 2006-07 Signing Class

Player

Position

Hometown (High School)

Julianne Brechtel

Infielder

Fullerton, Calif. (Sunny Hills)

Ashley Guile

Catcher/First Base

Olathe, Kan. (Olathe East)

Abby Hughes 

Utility

Olathe, Kan. (Olathe North)

Tori Tyson

Right-Handed Pitcher

Corona, Calif. (Corona)  

Individual Player Information

Julianne Brechtel, Infielder, Fullerton, Calif. (Sunny Hills)

Brechtel joins the Huskers with a chance to contribute immediately as an infielder. She benefits from having faced top-level competition in Southern California and was also a member of the Orange County Batbusters program that captured the ASA 16-and-under national championship in 2005.

 

As a junior for SunnyHillsHigh School, Brechtel led the Freeway League with a .412 average, while ranking third with 11 RBIs and second with two home runs. She posted a .588 slugging percentage but also showed great bat control, finishing with a .533 on-base percentage and drawing 18 walks while striking out just four times in 108 plate appearances. Brechtel also added nine doubles and 22 runs scored for Sunny Hills.

 

Brechtel is also an outstanding defender, as Doug Myers, head coach for the Batbusters declared Brechtel ? who played third base ? as the best fielder on the team, a major accomplishment on a team that produced several Division I scholarship athletes.

 

Brechtel was also a member of the Corona Angels, the same travel team as fellow signee Tori Tyson and current Husker freshman Crystal Gonzalez.

 

 

Coach Revelle on Julianne:

“Julie is a poised and confident athlete who will impact our team both offensively and defensively. She has great hand-eye coordination which makes her a threat at the plate and a golden glove in the field.”

 

Ashley Guile, Catcher/First Base, Olathe, Kan. (Olathe East)

Guile, the third Olathe East player to sign with Nebraska since the 2003 season, is perhaps the Huskers’ most decorated recruit. In addition to her individual accolades, Guile is also a proven winner who has helped East capture three consecutive state titles.

 

Guile was named a 2006 first-team high school All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Assocation. Of the 16 players named to the first team, Olathe East was the only school to have more than one player on the team and Nebraska was able to sign both (current freshman Alex Hupp was the other). Guile is also a two-time all-state selection at first base.

 

Guile helped lead the Hawks to consecutive state titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and she will look to end her career as a four-time state champion this season. Guile boasts a .556 career average with an .864 slugging percentage. Her .624 on-base percentage in 2005 was an Olathe East record, a notable accomplishment for a program that has produced 26 college players, including 12 Division I athletes.

 

Guile boasts two of the top four single-season averages in school history. She enjoyed an outstanding junior season in 2006, finding her place on numerous Olathe East charts including: average (3rd, .556), on-base percentage (5th, .582), slugging percentage (4th, .864), RBIs (2nd, 35), hits (3rd, 45) and doubles (1st, 14).

 

Coach Revelle on Ashley:

“Ashley is passionate about the University of Nebraska, and the sport she loves, softball.  A natural leader and clutch player, Ashley will make her presence known from the moment she puts on the jersey and steps on the field.”

 

Abby Hughes, Utility, Olathe, Kan. (Olathe North)

Nebraska has traditionally enjoyed success in signing talented players from the Olathe area and the Huskers hope Hughes can continue that trend. While Nebraska has signed three Olathe East players since 2003, Hughes is the first player to sign with NU from Olathe North.

 

An outstanding student and athlete, Hughes is a three-year letterwinner for Olathe North. She was named the Eagle’s offensive player of the year in 2005 and 2006. Hughes was also the defensive player of the year, as well as the team’s most valuable player in 2006.

 

Hughes was a second-team All-Sunflower League selection in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and she earned second-team All-Sun and All-JohnsonCounty accolades in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Hughes is a proven winner, as she led North to a regional championship and state runner-up finish in 2004. She also helped lead the Olathe Rockets to a pair of top-five finishes at the 16A AFA Nationals.

 

In the classroom, Hughes boasts a 4.0 grade-point average and has been selected as an NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete in each of her first three high school seasons. A National Honor Society member, Hughes was honored as a Kansas Honors Scholar, as she ranks in the top 10 percent of her class.

 

Coach Revelle on Abby:

“Abby is an intelligent and speedy player who only knows how to play one way - all out. Abby has a positive and infectious attitude which will elevate everyone she comes in contact with.”

 

Tori Tyson, Right-Handed Pitcher, Corona, Calif. (Corona)

Tyson is the lone pitching prospect in the Huskers’ class, but boasts the talent and potential to become a dominant force at Nebraska. Tyson also has a great understanding for the game, as her father, Marty, serves as head coach for the Corona Angels, one of the top travel teams in the country.

 

As a junior, Tyson was the top pitcher for Corona High. Against top-level competition, Tyson posted a 1.71 ERA to lead the Mountain View league and rank in the top 25 among inland Southern California Schools, according to the Press-Enterprise.

 

Tyson finished her junior season allowing just 36 earned run in 147.0 innings. She limited opposing hitters to a meager .218 average, while posting 108 strikeouts.

 

Coach Revelle on Tori:

“Tori is a talented and competitive pitcher who has the tools and skills to be a force in the circle for the University of Nebraska.  Her experience pitching against many of the best teams in the country will pay tremendous dividends as she begins her career with the Huskers.”