Wolverines Add Three Transfer Students to Softball Program
7/5/2022 4:21:00 PM | Softball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan softball head coach Carol Hutchins announced Tuesday (July 5) the addition of three transfer students -- outfielder Ellie Mataya and pitchers Hannah George and Jessica LeBeau -- to the Wolverine program.
"We are delighted to welcome Ellie, Hannah and Jessica to Michigan softball," said Hutchins. "They are all proven athletes and will add a lot of depth, experience and leadership. I really think they will flourish in our program and our system, and I expect them all to step in and have a big impact on Team 46."
Mataya, a four-year starter in the outfield and a two-time All-ACC selection for Boston College, ranked among the conference's top hitters over the last two seasons. She was named to the All-ACC second team as a junior (2021) after boasting a .373 batting average -- the eighth best single-season average in BC program history -- with a .510 slugging percentage and .411 on-base percentage. She also earned third-team honors in 2022 with a .353 average, a .497 slugging percentage and .416 on-base percentage.
Mataya started 162 games in the outfield over her Boston College career -- entirely at center over the last three seasons -- and owns a career batting average of .327 with 72 runs scored, 168 hits and 53 RBI from the top of the order. She was a two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree and graduated from BC's Carroll School of Management last spring with a business degree. She will pursue a master of accounting degree at Michigan.
A native of Burke, Va. -- also the hometown of Michigan All-American Dorian Shaw (2008-11) -- Mataya graduated from Lake Braddock Secondary School, where she was named the 2018 Patriot Conference Player of the Year and twice earned all-region, all-conference and all-state honors (2017, '18).
George compiled a 35-23 record over four years as a right-handed pitcher at North Carolina, including a pair of shortened seasons, with a 3.90 earned-run average, 231 strikeouts and eight complete-game shutouts. Named to the ACC All-Freshman team in 2019 after posting a 14-4 record, George added 10 wins as a redshirt junior last season and threw her first collegiate no-hitter with seven strikeouts against UNC Wilmington -- also the first no-hitter for a Tar Heel pitcher since 2013.
Originally from Columbus, Ga., she graduated from Northside High School, where she was a three-time all-state first team honoree after posting a 40-12 record with a 0.68 ERA and 358 strikeouts and set a school record with a .427 career batting average, 135 RBI and 23 home runs. She helped lead Northside to the 2017 GHSA 4A state championship.
George twice earned ACC Academic Honor Roll recognition and graduated from UNC with a bachelor's degree in psychology last spring. At Michigan, she will pursue the interpersonal practice in integrated health, mental health and substance abuse pathway through the School of Social Work with two years of eligibility remaining.
LeBeau was a two-time All-MAC second team and a 2022 NFCA All-Mideast Region third team selection over her two seasons as a right-handed pitcher and utility player at Kent State. She was twice named the MAC Pitcher of the Week as a freshman and ranked among the league's top-five leaders in nearly all pitching categories last season, including earned-run average (2.62), strikeouts per seven innings (9.05), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.53) and opposing batting average (.198). She already ranks ninth in KSU program history with 373 career strikeouts.
She earned both Academic All-MAC and MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete accolades this year. She will transfer into the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at Michigan with two years of eligibility remaining.
A native of Hartville, Ohio, LeBeau prepped at Lake High School, where she was a two-time all-state honoree and totaled 37 wins and 402 strikeouts over her three seasons. She posted 20 wins, county-best 1.06 EA and 197 strikeouts in the circle while hitting .438 and driving in 17 runs at the plate as a junior (2019).
