Softball

Nov. 22, 2010

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State head softball coach Jacquie Joseph has announced the program's initial signings for the recruiting class of 2011. The incoming class includes Kelsey Cleary (White Lake, Mich.), McKinzie Freimuth (Combined Locks, Wis.), Alyssa McBride (Mattawan, Mich.), Carly Nielsen (Blair, Neb.) and Ellie Stoffer (Dexter, Mich.).

"This 2011 class meets our needs in several areas," said Joseph. "First and foremost, the players and their parents all value their education first. Also, three of the players are from the state of Michigan, which is always important to us. Carly (Nielson) and McKinzie (Freimuth) have both won state championships at their respective high school. Players from winning teams are an important factor for Michigan State. Alyssa (McBride) might be the most competitive player I have had in many years, which is contagious. Position wise, we absolutely needed a pitcher and we got that in Carly (Neilson). We also needed a shortstop and found her in Alyssa (McBride), and McKinzie (Freimuth) will solidify first for us. We also needed depth at other positions and got that with outfielder Kelsey Cleary and catcher/utility player Ellie Stoffer. In the end, all five are extremely athletic and demonstrated the commitment necessary to become a Spartan."

Kelsey Cleary

Kelsey Cleary • L/R • Outfield • White Lake, Mich./Lakeland
High School: Will graduate in June from Lakeland High School as a four-year letterwinner for coach Joe Alsup ... Led team to a state runner-up finish as a junior ... Helped team to state quarterfinals appearances as both a freshman and a sophomore ... Named to The Detroit News All-State team as both a sophomore and junior ... A Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association Division I All-State honoree as a sophomore and junior ... Received all-region and all-district honors as a freshman, sophomore and junior ... Listed as an All-Oakland Country honoree her sophomore and junior seasons ... Named to the all-area and all-conference teams all three seasons ... Tabbed as one of Oakland Press' top 60 softball players as a sophomore (30 other players to watch) and a junior (No. 8) ... Has received high academic honors all three years of high school ... Named a Kensington Lake Athletic Association Scholar Athlete in 2010.

Club: Played for the Michigan Outlaws from 2005-2011 ... Team was a16U 2009 NSA "A" state finalist and 2009 USSSA state finalist ... 14U team was a 2008 USSSA state semifinalist.

Personal: Born Jan. 5, 1993 ... Daughter of Michael and Sandra Cleary.

McKinzie Freimuth

McKinzie Freimuth • L/L • First Base • Combined Locks, Wis./Kaukauna
High School: Will graduate from Kaukauna in June as a four-year letterwinner under coach Tim Roehrig ... Led team to state championship as a junior, boasting a batting average of .492 ... Named 2009-10 Gatorade Wisconsin Softball Player of the Year ... Received first team all-state honors as a freshman, sophomore and junior ... Earned first team all-conference and all-district all three years of action ... Named to the Post Crescent First Team as a freshman, sophomore and a junior ... Led Fox Valley Association Conference in batting average as both a freshman (.516) and sophomore (.542) ... Also a four-year letterwinner in volleyball ... Led her high school volleyball team as the setter to the 2010 Wisconsin State Championship on Nov. 6 after finishing runner-up in 2009 ... First team-all conference in volleyball as a senior ... Second team all-conference in volleyball as a sophomore and junior.

Club: Competed for the Wisconsin Bandits during the summer.

Personal: Born Feb. 24, 1993 to Steve and Kim Freimuth ... Sister, Hayley, plays softball at Wisconsin-Oshkosh ... Plans on majoring in kinesiology.

Alyssa McBride

Alyssa McBride • L/R • Shortstop • Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan
High School: Will graduate from Mattawan High School as a four-year letterwinner for coach Alicia Smith ... Earned all-state honors as a junior after posting a .556 batting average and 75 hits, ranking 10th all-time in state history ... Also received all-conference, all-district and all-region honors as a junior ... Hit for a .480 batting average as a sophomore ... Received honorable mention all-state honors as a sophomore ... Named to the all-conference, all-district and all-region teams a sophomore ... As a freshman hit .410, earning all-conference, all-district and all-region honors ... Voted team captain in both basketball and softball three straight years ... Also a four-year letterwinner in basketball.

Club: Led Michigan Athletics team to a 13th-place finish at the 2010 ASA Nationals.

Personal: Born March 25, 1993 ... Daughter of Mike and Amy Gillette ... Father played baseball and football at Michigan ... Mother ran track at Central Michigan ... Sister, Amanda, played softball at Western Michigan ... Plans on majoring in broadcasting.

Carly Nielsen

Carly Nielsen • R/R • Pitcher • Blair, Neb./Blair
High School: Will graduate as a four-year letterwinner from Blair High School for Jon Small ... Named first team All-Nebraska as both a junior and senior, and second-team as a sophomore... Received all-conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior ... Earned first team all-state honors in 2008, 2009 and 2010 ... Listed on the All-Nebraska super state team in both 2009 and 2010 ... Named to the All-Omaha area team as a sophomore, junior and senior, earning honorary captain honors in 2010 ... Earned the team's Will to Win award in 2008, 2009 and 2010 ... Named her team's offensive MVP and team MVP in 2010 ... Led team to the state championship as a sophomore, junior and a senior ... Her earned-run-average of 0.25 as a junior ranks as the fifth lowest in state history ... Recorded 15 of her 20 home runs her senior season; the 15 homers ranks tops out of all classes in state history ... Set the Class B state home run record for 20 career homers ... Posted 212 strikeouts as a senior, 144 as a junior and 112 as a sophomore ... Voted team captain her senior year.

Club: Her Sizzle Black team finished runner-up at the 2009 NAFA Nationals ... Nebraska Gold team was runner-up at the 2010 USSSA Nationals.

Personal: Daughter of David and Nancy Nielson ... Born March 9, 1993 ... Plans on majoring in kinesiology.

Ellie Stoffer

Ellie Stoffer • L/R • Catcher/Utility • Dexter, Mich./Chelsea
High School: Will graduate this spring from Chelsea High School as a four-year letterwinner for coach Bob Moffett ... Named to Southeastern Conference All-Conference First Team as a junior ... Tabbed as a first team all-district and all-area honoree in 2010 ... Earned Southeastern Conference All-Conference honors as a sophomore ... Received all-district honors in 2009 ... Also lettered three years in volleyball, receiving Southeastern Conference All-Conference honorable mention honors as a sophomore... Class President and National Honors Society member.

Club: Her Michigan Lookouts team qualified for the 16U ASA Nationals in College Station, Texas in 2010.

Personal: Born Feb. 4, 1993 ... Daughter of Ron and Tracie Stoffer ... Plans on majoring in nursing.

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