SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Coming off the first year of West Coast Conference softball, Santa Clara softball will welcome six freshmen to the Mission campus for the 2015 season. Ellie Fisher of Tracy, Calif., McCall James of El Segundo, Calif., Kelli Tatum of Fountain Valley, Calif., Micaela Vierra of Huntington Beach, Calif., Justine Garner of Roseville, Calif., and Elizabeth Ray of Salina, Calif. will all start their Bronco careers during the 2014-15 academic year.
"Our coaching staff is very excited about the potential of this group and the athleticism they will bring to Santa Clara," said Bronco head coach Lisa Mize. "Each player brings a different element of play to our program and all of them will play a large part in contributing to our success on the field. We are looking forward to them being a part of our Bronco family."
Fisher, sister of just graduated Bronco star Stephanie Fisher, won the John C. Kimball Senior Outstanding Athlete Award for Women as the most inspirational player at Tracy High School. She was also named Second Team All-League and played on the All-Area Softball Team. Her team made it to sections and came in first in the SJAA.
Garner was a 2014 Northern California Optimist All-Star team participant and led the SFL in home runs while winning her team MVP award. Her Roseville High School team were Sierra Foothill League champions. Off the field Garner was Academic First Team All-League and received both the Youth Sports Coalition Scholarship Award and the Roseville Girls Softball Scholarship Award. She also received the Gold Academic Merit Award three consecutive years.
Ray was named MBL First Team All-League and Californian All-County. Her high school team, Notre Dame, won their 14th consecutive CCS Division III title and Ray was named team MVP. She was also named a National Honor Society Member and a Lifetime California Scholarship Federation member.
Vierra was named First Team All-Sunset League and the Sunset League Most Valuable Pitcher. In addition to being named Huntington Beach High School MVP, Vierra was Second Team All-County. For her academic prowess, Vierra was given The United State Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award.
James was named Most Inspirational and the team MVP for El Segundo High School. She was also named the Student Athlete of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year at El Segundo. For her play she was also awarded the league MVP and was named First Team All-League and First Team All-Area.
Tatum was named to the Sunset League All-Academic Team and was a Fountain Valley High School Scholar Athlete.