Hutchins Lands Key Class, Inks Four Future Wolverines
11/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball program announced today (Monday, Nov. 24) it has inked four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent as part of Michigan's 2004-05 recruiting class. Composing one of Michigan coach Carol Hutchins' most promising classes in her 20 years at Michigan are pitcher/utility player Angie Danis (Manchester, Mo./Parkway West HS), first baseman Samantha Findlay (Lockport, Ill./Lockport East HS), outfielder Alessandra Giampaolo (Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic HS) and infielder Lauren Talbot (Walled Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Western HS).
"I think this is one of our better classes here at Michigan for a variety of reasons," remarked Hutchins. "We definitely got what we needed in terms of position and talent, but we are also fortunate because we signed kids who really wanted to come to Michigan, which I feel is one of the most important traits for a recruit. This is a really strong group and we are excited about it."
Danis joins current Michigan freshman Stephanie Winter (St. Charles, Mo./St. Charles West HS) as the first Wolverine recruits from the state of Missouri since Michigan landed Melissa Gentile and Pam Kosanke (1997-2000) as part of their 1996-97 class. "Danis committed to us as a junior," commented Hutchins. "She is a pitcher who reminded me of Marissa Young and has great spin on her ball with very good movement. She is also a bona fide hitter with good speed as well as an excellent student, which makes her a great fit for Michigan."
Missouri high school softball is played in the fall and Danis was forced to sit out her just-completed senior season recovering from a knee injury, but she recorded a 17-5 mark in the circle with a 0.40 ERA as a junior while hitting .486 with five long balls. An all-conference and all-district first-team selection as a junior, Danis was also named to the all-state second team. The four-time Blue Scholar Athlete Award honoree (3.9 GPA or above) was nearly as dominant as a sophomore, going 18-5 with a 0.48 ERA in the circle with three home runs. She also compiled a 53-11 mark in the circle and hit 14 home runs over a two-year span for the club team St. Louis Lightning.
One of the most sought-after recruits in the nation, Findlay earned Class AA all-state first team distinction at first base as a junior in 2003 from both the Illinois Coaches Association and the Chicago Tribune. "We wanted Findlay the minute we saw her," remarked Hutchins. "She is a great hitter and a real savvy ballplayer overall who we project in the first base slot. However, she is an excellent second baseman in the prep ranks, which tells you what kind of athlete she is."
Findlay hit .480 as a junior with nine home runs, 49 RBI, 13 doubles and three triples. She was also an Illinois Coaches Association all-state second- and third-team selection as a sophomore and freshman, respectively. Findlay is the first Chicago-area recruit since the Wolverines landed current senior co-captain Angie Churchill (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way HS). "Findlay is from the south side of Chicago, and I absolutely love the high school athletics and tradition they have over there," stated Hutchins.
A California Interscholastic Federation Division V all-state first-team honoree at shortstop as a junior, Giampaolo could project as an outfielder on the collegiate level because of her speed. "Giampaolo was very highly recruited and a great student," according to Hutchins. "She has great speed, hits from the left side and has all the tools in terms of a short game, but can also drive the ball. She is an excellent all-around athlete, and we think she can come in and make an immediate impact in the outfield and potentially as a leadoff or No. 2 hitter."
Also an all-league performer in soccer, Giampaolo was named to the All-Valley softball first team by the Pasadena Star News following her junior campaign. A three-sport star who also plays for Polytechnic's league-champion volleyball team, Giampaolo is familiar with a winning environment, having played on a 16-U ASA team that finished second in the nation out of 116 teams in the summer of the 2002. She now hits leadoff and plays centerfield for the 18-U California Cruisers, which won the prestigious Louisville Slugger Fireworks Invitational in July.
Michigan's lone in-state signee for this class is Talbot, who was named all-state honorable mention by the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association following a junior campaign that saw her hit .452 with 10 home runs, five doubles and eight triples while slugging .863. "We have watched her for a couple of years and she really improved over her last summer, which is something we really track during the recruiting process," commented Hutchins. "She is a tall, strong kid who we have seen make a variety of plays from the shortstop position. With a year of training under her belt as a freshman, she has the ability to step into Jessica Merchant's spot at shortstop when she is a sophomore."
Talbot was also named to the Oakland County Dream Team and Detroit News all-metro squad following her junior season. Her remarkable play as a junior helped Walled Lake Western reach the state final four and then carried over into travel ball this past summer where she played shortstop while hitting .378 with 15 home runs and 49 RBI.
"This is just a real good class where all the kids complement each other and we have three legitimate players that could have an immediate impact, with help from Talbot down the road," opined Hutchins. "These are all versatile kids that can hit the ball and play a number of positions. The best part is these kids all picked us early and turned down trips elsewhere after they visited us, which means they really wanted to be at Michigan."
Contact: Rich Marion (734) 763-4423
