Huskers Sign Seven Standout Student-Athletes

 2015 Nebraska Softball Signing Class

Name	Pos.	Hometown	High School	Travel Team
Bree Boruff	OF	Mead, Colo.	Mead	Triple Crown Stars
Marinda Bryant	INF	Beatrice, Neb.	Beatrice	Omaha Quakes
Haley Donaldson	INF	Fort Collins, Colo.	Fossil Ridge	Triple Crown Stars
Tristen Edwards	OF/C	Murrieta, Calif.	Vista Murrieta	Corona Angels
Lexey Kneib	INF	Webb City, Mo.	Webb City	DeMarini Aces
Sydney McLeod	LHP	Goodyear, Ariz.	Desert Edge	AZ Storm
Alexis Perry	INF	Oklahoma City, Okla.	Putnam City	OK Exclusive

 

Seven talented student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Nebraska softball team next fall, Head Coach Rhonda Revelle announced on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Nebraska’s 2015 signing class includes: infielders Marinda Bryant (Beatrice, Neb.), Haley Donaldson (Fort Collins, Colo.), Lexey Kneib (Webb City, Mo.) and Alexis Perry (Oklahoma City, Okla.); outfielder Bree Boruff (Mead, Colo.); outfielder/catcher Tristen Edwards (Murrieta, Calif.); and pitcher Sydney McLeod (Goodyear, Ariz.).

The incoming freshman class consists of players from six states, including the Huskers’ first signee from Oklahoma since 1997 and the program’s first signees from Colorado since 2000. The class also includes McLeod, the first left-handed pitcher to sign with Nebraska since 1997.

Five of the seven future Huskers have completed their high school careers, while Edwards and McLeod will finish their prep careers this spring. The signees are an athletic and skilled group, according to Revelle.

“This class of signees have the tools to excel and thrive both on the field and in the classroom,” Revelle said. “They were strategically selected based on their high character, work ethic and athletic and academic abilities. Our staff is anxious to assist them in developing and growing their talents in the upcoming years. 

“Today is another great day to be a Husker as we officially welcome seven first-class individuals and their families into our Husker family.”

Signing Class Bios
Bree Boruff, OF, Mead, Colo. (Mead HS/Triple Crown Stars)
Bree Boruff will bring plenty of speed to Nebraska when she arrives on campus next fall. An outfielder, Boruff is a slapper who can also hit, and her speed will benefit the Huskers at the plate, on the basepaths and in the outfield. Boruff comes to Nebraska from Mead High School in Colorado, where she was a three-time, first-team all-conference selection and an all-region performer.

According to statistics from MaxPreps, Boruff posted a .380 career batting average with 81 runs scored and 71 stolen bases. She hit .375 as a senior this fall, batted .386 as a junior in 2014 and posted a .437 average with five doubles in 2014. Boruff stole 23 bases as a sophomore, 18 as a junior and 21 as a senior. During her junior season, Boruff helped Mead to its first regional title and first state tournament appearance, scoring the Mavericks’ lone run in the state tournament. Boruff was an honorable-mention all-region selection as a junior.

Boruff plays her travel ball for the Triple Crown Stars, where she is a teammate of fellow signee Haley Donaldson. Together, Boruff and Donaldson are the first Colorado natives to sign with Nebraska since the Huskers signed three Coloradans in 2000. In the classroom, Boruff was a two-time academic all-state honoree.

Coach Revelle on Bree:
“Bree is a speedy outfielder that has only scratched the surface in her softball career. Look for Bree to have a steady and consistent rise in our program as she works to add to her skill set in the outfield. Blessed with exceptional speed, Bree will be a real asset to the team anytime she can showcase her speed. It will be exciting for Husker fans to watch Bree fly around the basepaths.”

 

Marinda Bryant, INF, Beatrice, Neb. (Beatrice HS/Omaha Quakes)
Marinda Bryant is the lone in-state recruit in the Huskers’ 2015 signing class. A talented infielder, Bryant will be a candidate to replace another Beatrice native – Alicia Armstrong – as the Huskers’ starting shortstop in 2017. Bryant broke several of Armstrong’s school records at Beatrice, setting single-season records for runs (53), hits (75), doubles (16), triples (12) and RBIs (50), while hitting more doubles in her career (33) than any other player in school history. Bryant was a two-time, first-team all-state selection, and she earned two appointments to the Lincoln Journal Star’s Super State team and the Omaha World-Herald’s All-Nebraska team. She was also a two-time all-conference and All-Sunland region selection.

Bryant was named a 2015 first-team Super State and All-Nebraska selection following an outstanding senior season. Bryant produced 75 hits and batted .496 with 12 doubles, three triples, 42 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. She was also a first-team Super State selection and second-team All-Nebraska honoree as a junior in 2014 after batting .543 with six home runs. A four-year letterwinner, Bryant helped Beatrice make three consecutive state tournament appearances. She has also lettered in basketball, track and soccer at Beatrice, setting school records for shutouts (5) and saves (227) as the Lady Orange goalkeeper in 2015.

A natural all-around athlete, Bryant plays her travel ball for the Omaha Quakes. In the classroom, Bryant has been honored for carrying a grade-point average above 3.0 in each of her first three years.

Coach Revelle on Marinda:
“Rindy continues the run of Beatrice softball players on the Nebraska softball roster. Another extremely athletic and competitive player, Rindy looks to make her mark on this program and continue a long tradition of Lady Orange transitioning to Nebraska Cornhuskers. We are excited to get Rindy wearing red!”

 

Haley Donaldson, INF, Fort Collins, Colo. (Fossil Ridge HS/Triple Crown Stars)
Haley Donaldson will enter the Husker program as one of the nation’s top hitting recruits. An infielder who can hit for both power and average, Donaldson boasted a .564 career average as a three-time all-conference and two-time all-state selection for Fossil Ridge High School in Colorado. She missed out on even more accolades when a knee injury limited her to only 13 plate appearances as a junior.

Donaldson hit above .530 in each of her three full high school seasons, while totaling 26 doubles, six triples, 32 homers and 118 RBIs. As a freshman in 2012, she hit .532 with eight doubles, 11 homers and 41 RBIs before batting .553 with nine doubles, 12 homers and 41 RBIs as a sophomore. After missing nearly all of her junior season due to injury, Donaldson batted .662 as a senior this fall with eight doubles, nine homers and 34 RBIs. According to MaxPreps, Donaldson ranked seventh nationally in batting average for the fall 2015 season. Previously, Donaldson had ranked fourth nationally in home runs as a sophomore in 2013 and second as a freshman in 2012.

Donaldson hails from an athletic lineage. Her grandmother Donna Donaldson owns a national powerlifting record she set at age 69, and her brother, Hunter, plays baseball at Metropolitan State University in Denver. Haley’s father, John, her uncle, Jeff, and two of her cousins all played college football, with Jeff enjoying a 10-year NFL career with the Houston Oilers, Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons.

Donaldson plays her travel ball for the Triple Crown Stars, where she is a teammate of fellow signee Bree Boruff. Together, Donaldson and Boruff are the first Colorado natives to sign with Nebraska since the Huskers signed three Coloradans in 2000. In the classroom, Donaldson is a three-time academic all-state selection, and she is a member of the National Honor Society.

Coach Revelle on Haley:
“An intense competitor, Haley embraces the ‘do whatever it takes’ mindset to reach her goals. Haley is athletic and has great instincts for the game. We look for Haley to make her presence known quickly as a Husker. Because of her athleticism and versatility, Haley will be able to compete for playing time in more than one position. We are very grateful that Haley chose Nebraska.”

 

Tristen Edwards, OF/C, Murrieta, Calif. (Vista Murrieta HS/Corona Angels)
The third member of the Edwards family to sign with Nebraska, Tristen is Nebraska’s lone California recruit in the 2015 signing class. An outfielder and catcher, Edwards has put up impressive numbers while facing some of the nation’s top pitching at Vista Murrieta High School. A three-time all-league and honorable-mention all-area selection, Edwards owns a .399 career batting average with 19 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs and 67 RBIs entering her senior season this spring.

Edwards put together an outstanding junior season in 2015. She posted a .461 batting average with 10 doubles, seven homers, 27 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. In her sophomore season, Edwards batted .359 with four doubles, two homers and 20 RBIs. Edwards started for Vista Murrieta as a freshman and hit .388 with five doubles, one triple, six homers and 20 RBIs.

Edwards plays her travel ball for the Corona Angles, coached by Marty Tyson, the father of Husker senior Dawna Tyson. Edwards is the latest in a long line of Angels to sign with Nebraska, including her older twin sisters Tatum and Taylor Edwards. Tatum and Taylor were both two-time All-Americans at Nebraska, with Tatum earning the 2013 Big Ten Pitcher-of-the-Year award and Taylor being recognized as the 2015 Division I Catcher of the Year.

Coach Revelle on Tristen:
“Tristen is a powerful athlete that has plans to create her own success in scarlet and cream. Having followed our program closely when her twin sisters (Tatum and Taylor) played here, Tristen has been ‘all N’ for a very long time. Husker fans will soon see Tristen showcase her skills in the Nebraska uniform.”

 

Lexey Kneib, INF, Webb City, Mo. (Webb City HS/DeMarini Aces)
Lexey Kneib is a standout shortstop who was considered among the top defensive middle infielders in the 2016 senior class. Kneib did not play softball during her final three seasons at Webb City (Mo.) High School, instead choosing to compete extensively with the DeMarini Aces, a top travel program that has produced numerous Division I players, including Kiki Stokes, a third-team All-American in her junior season at Nebraska in 2015.

The Aces’ starting shortstop, Kneib helped the team post a top-25 finish at the 2015 Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championship. Kneib has also pitched some for the Aces, while batting near the top of the lineup.

Away from the softball diamond, Kneib is a three-year starter for the Webb City basketball team, and she earned all-district honors as a junior. In the classroom, Kneib is a four-year National Honor Society member.

Lexey has a twin sister, Lindey, who will play softball at Harvard, and an older sister, Laney, who is a senior pitcher/utility player at Saint Louis. Lexey’s mother was also a collegiate softball player, and her grandfather signed a major league baseball contract with the Baltimore Orioles and his brother signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Coach Revelle on Lexey:
“A highly sought-after prospect, Lexey is a gifted and talented player who works at her craft continuously. She is fun to watch on defense as she makes difficult plays up the middle look routine. We believe Lexey will step right in and compete for significant playing time, as she is a smooth and quick middle infielder with great instincts.”

 

Sydney McLeod, LHP, Goodyear, Ariz. (Desert Edge HS/AZ Storm)
The lone pitching recruit in Nebraska’s 2015 signing class, Sydney McLeod is the first left-handed pitcher to sign with the Huskers since Lori Tschannen in 2000. With her senior season still to come this spring, McLeod has excelled in the circle and at the plate for Desert Edge High School in Arizona, where she is a two-time all-state and all-region selection.

Entering her senior season, McLeod owns a 26-6 career record with 282 strikeouts and a 1.27 ERA while facing some of the nation’s top high school hitters. She went 8-3 with a 1.04 ERA in 108.0 innings as a sophomore, striking out 127 and limiting opposing hitters to a .221 average. As a junior last spring, McLeod posted an 18-3 record with a 1.48 ERA in 19 starts and 122.2 total innings. She struck out 155 batters as a junior, while opponents hit just .186 against her.

McLeod has also been a standout hitter for Desert Edge, owning a .350 career batting average heading into her senior season with 14 doubles, one triple, three home runs and 46 RBIs. She hit .286 as a freshman before batting .281 as a sophomore with four doubles and two home runs. As a junior last spring, McLeod posted a .417 batting average with 10 doubles and 31 RBIs.

McLeod plays her travel ball for the AZ Storm. In the classroom, she is a four-year honor roll member and she was named to the 2015 Arizona All-Academic Softball team.

Coach Revelle on Sydney:
“Syd is a strong left-handed pitcher who keeps the ball down and will create a lot of ground ball outs. Syd has been waiting anxiously for over two years for signing day, and she worked hard to get prepared to make an impact for her team immediately. Syd loves Nebraska, and Nebraska fans are going to love Syd.”

 

Alexis Perry, INF, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Putnam City HS/OK Exclusive)
Alexis Perry joins the Nebraska program following an outstanding career for Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City. Perry will play on the infield for the Huskers after being an infielder and pitcher for Putnam City. A four-time all-district selection, Perry was the conference and district player of the year as a senior in addition to being named a starter for the 2016 Oklahoma High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association All-State game.

Perry posted a .463 career batting average for Putnam City, totaling 45 doubles, eight triples, seven homers, 53 walks and 94 RBIs. As a senior this fall, Perry hit .474 with eight doubles, four triples and 26 RBIs. In an impressive junior season in 2014, Perry batted .550 with a .612 on-base percentage. She slugged 17 doubles and four home runs, while driving in 30. Perry hit .442 with eight doubles, two homers and 20 RBIs as a sophomore after batting .379 with 12 doubles, two triples and 18 RBIs as a freshman. In the circle, Perry was 14-9 with a 1.72 ERA in 130.0 innings during her sophomore season.

Perry played her travel ball for the OK Exclusive. With the Exclusive, Perry hit .364 with 10 doubles, two home runs and 23 RBIs in the summer following her freshman year. The next season, she batted .386 with seven doubles, two triples, six homers and 35 RBIs. Perry is the first Oklahoma native to sign with Nebraska since Jamie Fuente in 1997.

Coach Revelle on Alexis:
“Alexis Perry can play anywhere on the field. She is an explosive and strong athlete that will hit the ground running for the Huskers. Alexis has put a lot of emphasis in being ‘Husker ready’ as she plays at a very high level in club ball. She is a disciplined and diligent worker, and we are looking forward to her arrival in Lincoln.”