Nov. 20, 2009

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State head softball coach Jacquie Joseph has announced the program's initial signings for the recruiting class of 2010. The incoming class includes Sarah Bowling (Tampa, Fla.), Emma Fernandez (Berkley, Mich.), Samantha Findling (Norcross, Ga.), Cassee Layne (Paducah, Ky.), and Stephanie Sanders (Lima, Ohio).

"We signed five quality students and softball players in this 2010 class," said Joseph. "Each one of them will help us address a specific need. Losing just one senior this coming spring, playing time for this group as freshmen will be tough to come by. This is exactly the kind of depth and inter-squad competition we have missed in the last couple of years. With the quality of our returning players and the addition of these freshmen, we expect great things for the spring of 2011 and beyond."

Sarah Bowling • R/R • 3B/Utility • Tampa, Fla./H. B. Plant
High School: Will graduate from H. B. Plant as a four-time letterwinner ... Named an adidas Features top-100 Athlete in 2008 ... Honored as the Offensive Player of the Year of her high school in 2009 ... Was a Miracle Sports First-Team All-State honoree in 2009 as an infielder ... Named to the All-Western Conference and All-Hillsborough County team in both 2008 and 2009 ... Led her high school team in 2009 with a .720 slugging percentage ... Also lettered in basketball in 2008.

Club: Competed for the Clearwater Lady Bombers Gold U18 ... Her TeamFLA Class A U16 team finished ninth at the ASA Nationals in 2008 ... TeamFLA also finished runner-up at the Independence Day Tournament in Boulder, Colo., in 2008.

Personal: Born Feb. 2, 1992, to Jay and Kathleen Bowling ... Father was a wrestler at the United States Naval Academy from 1974-1976 ... Brother, Shane, plays ruby at the United States Naval Academy.

Emma Fernandez

Emma Fernandez • R/R • Utility • Berkley, Mich./Berkley
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Berkley High School while playing for coach Kate Jacobs ... Team MVP in 2007 and 2009 ... Honored as the team captain in 2009 ... All-District and All-Oakland Activities Association honoree in both 2007 and 2008 ... 2008 All-Region honoree ... Named to the Oakland County Dream Team in 2007 ... A member of the National Honor Society.

Club: Led her Michigan Outlaws team to the NSA State Fall Championship in 2008 ... Has played for the Outlaws for the past two years ... Posted a .375 batting average while knocking in 29 runs.

Personal: Daughter of Rick and Maureen Fernandez ... Born Feb. 25, 1992, in Garden City, Mich. ... Father, Rick, was a member of the 1986 National Championship team in hockey at MSU ... Plans to pursue a degree in medicine.

Samantha Findling

Samantha Findling • L/R • Shortstop/Outfield • Norcross, Ga./Norcross
High School: A four-year letterwinner at Norcross High School under coach Hope Black ... Named defensive player of the year for her high school in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Club: Played club softball with Georgia Knockouts Gold based out of Atlanta, Ga., for four years ... Selected to the 2010 Class Louisville Independence Day All-Star Game in 2008 ... Led team offensively at the 2009 18 Gold Nationals in Oklahoma City with her .563 batting average in championship play ... Team finished 17th nationally in 2009 ... Posted a team-high .385 batting average in 2009 ... Played with fellow 2010 classmate Cassee Layne as a member of the 2010 Georgia Knockouts 18 Gold team.

Personal: Born Oct. 6, 1991, to Drew and Beth Findling ... Father ran track and cross country at Oglethorpe University, where he was inducted into the athletics hall of fame in 2002 ... Plans on majoring in pre-law/international affairs.

Cassee Layne

Cassee Layne • R/R • Pitcher • Paducah, Ky./Reidland
High School: Four-year letterwinner at Reidland while coached by Tony Hayden ... Reidland has won three consecutive All "A" state championships (2006-07) ... Named the All "A" State Tournament MVP in 2007 and 2008 ... Received all-state honors in 2009 (first team), 2008 (first team) and 2007 (second team) ... Named three-time all-region and all-district honoree (2007-09) ... All-time single season earned-runs average leader for her high school with a 0.51 ERA posted in 2008 ... Is an honors student and vice president of the Beta Club.

Club: Played with fellow 2010 classmate Samantha Findling as a member of the 2010 Georgia Knockouts 18 Gold team ... Also competed as a member of the Midland Magic based out of Normal, Ill. ... The Midland Magic finished 13th at Nationals in 2009.

Personal: Daughter of Randy and Kelly Lane ... Born Feb. 5, 1992.

Stephanie Sanders

Stephanie Sanders • R/R • Catcher/Utility • Lima, Ohio/Bath
High School: A four-year letterwinner at Lima Bath for coach Laura Ford ... A captain of her high school team all-four years ... Named as a First-Team All-Ohio honoree in 2009 ... Second-Team All-Ohio honors in 2007 and 2008 ... Named the 2008 and 2009 Western Buckeye League Offensive Player of the Year ... Western Buckeye League Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 ... Both First-Team All-Northwestern Ohio District and First Team Western Buckeye League in 2007, 2008 and 2009 ... Set the state of Ohio single-game home runs record with three ... Named to the honor roll every year of high school.

Club: Participated for the Indiana Magic 18U Gold, the Ohio Woldpack Black, and the Ohio Lady Lasers Purple ... Her teams have placed seventh, 13th and 25th in ASA Nationals.

Personal: Born Dec. 20, 1991, to Doug and Shelley ... Father was a four-time letterwinner on the Ohio Wesleyan baseball and basketball teams (1977-1980) ... Older sister, Amanda, is an outfielder at Ohio Wesleyan ... Plans to pursue a career in dentistry.

MSU Softball

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