Wolverines Ink Skvarce, Uden During Early Signing Period
11/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Nov. 13, 2015
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan softball team received National Letters of Intent from two student-athletes during the early signing period, head coach Carol Hutchins announced Friday (Nov. 13). The duo -- catcher Abby Skvarce and infielder Madison Uden -- will join the Wolverines next fall and make their collegiate debut during the 2017 softball season.
"It's not a very large class," said Hutchins, "but it's a good class. We'll have additions as they matriculate that we're also excited about. It's a versatile group who will represent Michigan well -- on the field, in the classroom and in the community. I expect them to come in and make an impact. That's what we need them to do."
Skvarce, a native of Clarkson, Michigan, is a two-time all-state honorable mention selection at catcher (2014, '15), and a three-time all-district and two-time all-league first team selection for Clarkston High School. She boasts a career .452 batting average (148-for-327) with a .607 slugging percentage and .482 on-base percentage. Behind the plate, she owns a .962 career fielding percentage and threw out 31 base runners in 2015. Skvarce has played travel ball, including a pair of All-American games (2013, '14), with the Michigan Bulldogs and Michigan Finesse squads. Off the field, she is a three-time Academic All-State selection.
"Abby is a local kid with great Michigan ties," said Hutchins. "She's one of those kids that might be considered a bit of a late bloomer. She's just gotten better and better. We really like to see that continued development. We feel she can give us a lot of depth that we need behind the plate. She's got all the tools."
Uden, a native of Glendale, Arizona, is a two-time all-section selection (2014, '15) as an infielder for Raymond S. Kellis High School. She boasts Kellis' single-season records in hits (59), RBI (58), triples (9) and walks (25). Uden plays travel ball with the Arizona Hotshots. She has also earned four varsity letters in basketball and two in volleyball, earning all-section honors in the former. Off the field, she has garnered all-academic honors in each competitive season and is an honor roll and National Honor Society student.
"Madison is a great athlete," said Hutchins. "She can play a lot of positions. She's fast, and she keeps getting better on the offensive side of the ball. We think she can do a lot of things for us and will be an elite player."
The Wolverines will kick off the 2016 campaign Feb. 12-14 at the USF Wilson-Demarini Tournament in Tampa, Florida, where they will face South Carolina, Illinois State, Florida, USF and Virginia Tech.
Communications Contact: Leah Howard
