EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville softball coach Mat Mundell announced the signing of nine student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI) Friday morning to continue their athletic and academic careers at UE. The Purple Aces' signing class includes three pitchers and six position players who will join the Evansville softball team for the 2016 season.

"I am so excited to announce this class," added Mundell. "With this class we have added much needed depth and athleticism. Probably the two things that stand out the most with the class as a whole is these young ladies are proven winners that can all really swing the bat for power and average."  

The UE softball signing class includes:  Bailee Bostic (Aurora, Ind. / Rising Sun), Olivia Cheatham (St. Charles, Ill. / St. Charles East), Morgan Florey (Brimfield, Ill. / Brimfield), McKenzie Johnson (Greenville, Ky. / Muhlenburg County), Kori Keyes (Verona, Wisc. / Verona Area), Kristin Koepke (McHenry, Ill. / McHenry West), Alexandra Latoria (St. Charles, Mo.  /St. Charles East), Emily Lockhart (Stoy, Ill. / Oblong), and Hannah Ploense (Bloomington, Ill. / Bloomington).
 
BAILEE BOSTIC, 5-5, CATCHER
AURORA, IND. (RISING SUN)
Notable: Played four seasons of softball for head coach David Brown…Third Team All-State, Ohio River Valley All-Conference as a senior…ICGSA All-District Team, Ohio River Valley All-Conference, All-Sectional Team and All-Regional Team as a junior…Ohio River Valley All-Conference and All-Sectional Team as a sophomore…All-Regional Team as a freshman…Hit .493 as a senior with four home runs and 29 runs batted in…Career numbers include a .466 average with eight home runs and 111 runs batted in…Set school record with 38 runs batted in as a sophomore…Guided the softball team to 3 ORVC Titles, 4 Sectional Titles and Two Regional Championships…Also lettered four seasons in volleyball and two in basketball…Ohio River Valley All-Conference Team as a sophomore, junior, and senior in volleyball.
Coach Mundell on Bostic:  "Bailee is a tremendous defensive catcher. She is able to change the game behind the plate."
 
OLIVIA CHEATHAM, 5-5, OUTFIELDER/INFIELDER
ST. CHARLES, ILL. (ST. CHARLES EAST)
Notable: Played four years of softball for head coach Kelly Horan…Three time All-Area Special Mention and All-Conference Honorable Mention…Colorado Sparkler All-Star/All-American Selection in 2013…2014 and 2015 Conference Champions, 2013 and 2014 Regional Champions, 2013 Sectional Champions, 2013 Supersectional Champion and 2013 State Runner Up...USSSA World Series Champion, ASA National Runner Up, two time USSSA State Champion, ASA Chicago Metro Champion…Started every game in high school for three years, leading the team to a 92-18 record…Career numbers include a .341 average, 11 home runs and 93 runs batted in…Also lettered one season in volleyball.
Coach Mundell on Cheatham:  "Olivia is extremely versatile as she has been a starter in the infield and outfield over her high school and travel career."
 
MORGAN FLOREY, 5-9, PITCHER
BRIMFIELD, ILL. (BRIMFIELD)
Notable:  Played four years of softball for head coaches Jenny Fauser and Kurt Juerjens…First team All-Area, first team All-Conference, first team All-State, PJS Big/Small School Player of the Year, team captain as a senior…First Team All-Area, First Team All-State, First Team All-Conference, All-Tournament Team, Team Captain as a junior…First team All-Area, first team All-Conference, second team All-State, team MVP, two All-Tournament teams as a sophomore…Big/Small school All-Area team, first team All-Conference, third team All-State, Offensive Player of the Year, two Tournament MVP Awards as a freshman…Hit .512 in her career with 44 home runs and 194 runs batted in…posted a 0.32 ERA as a senior with 435 strikeouts and just 32 walks in 177.2 innings pitched…Also lettered four years in volleyball.
Coach Mundell on Florey: "Morgan has the ability to be a dominating pitcher. She is a proven winner in the circle."
 
McKENZIE JOHNSON, 5-8, INFIELDER
GREENVILLE, KY. (MUHLENBURG COUNTY)
Notable:  Played five years of softball for head coach Ashlee Miller…All-State Second Team, All-Area, All-District, All-Region, 2014 Messenger – Inquirer All-Area Player of the Year, KY East-West All-Star Team for two years…Home run record holder with 28…Helped Mustangs post their best season record in school history as a senior…Guided team to become district Champions six years consecutively.
Coach Mundell on Johnson:  "McKenzie is a middle infielder with a middle of the order bat."
 
KORI KEYES, 5-7, INFIELDER
VERONA, WISC. (VERONA AREA)
Notable:  Played four years of softball…First team All-Area, first team All-District, first team All-Conference, Third Team All-State, Co-Player of the Year, MVP Offensive Award and the team award Wildcat Heart Plaque as a senior…First team All-District, first team All-Conference, second team All-Area, All-State Honorable Mention and Ms. Hustle Award recipient as a junior…Second team All-Conference and Ms. Hustle Award recipient as a sophomore…Hit .563 in her senior season with 11 home runs and 47 runs batted in.
Coach Mundell on Keyes: "Kori is a tremendous defensive shortstop with a ton of pop" 
 
KRISTIN KOEPKE, 5-7, OUTFIELDER
McHENRY, ILL. (McHENRY WEST)
Notable:  Played four years of softball for head coach John DiFrancesca…Four time Fox Valley All-Conference, four time Northwest Herald All-Area First Team, two time Illinois Coaches Association 4A All-State, two time Chicago Sun-Times Preseason Top 11 Players, three time Northwest Herald Preseason Top 5 Players, Chicago Sun-Times All-Area, NFCA High School North Region All-Area, Varsity Captain, Varsity MVP…Hit .413 in her career with 19 home runs and 141 runs batted in…Three time Conference Champions, four time Regional Champions.
Coach Mundell on Koepke:  "Kristin brings us a great arm in the outfield and a consistent bat we need"
 
ALEXANDRA LATORIA, 5-2, INFIELDER
ST. CHARLES, MO. (ST. CHARLES EAST)
Notable:  Played four years of softball for head coach Kelly Horan…Sun Times Top 100, Academic All-Conference, All-Conference, St. Charles East Wirth Gustafson Award, Team MVP, Chronicle All-Area, Daily Herald All-Area, All-State, Toyota Athlete of the Month, Daily Herald Prep Sports Excellence Award Nominee as a senior…All-Area, All-Conference, Academic All-Conference, Sun Times Top 100 as a junior…All-Area, All-Conference, All-Area, Academic All-Conference as a sophomore…four year varsity starter…2014-'15 and '13-'14 Conference Champions
Coach Mundell on Latoria:  "Alex is a hitter. She may be small but she has an extremely powerful swing"EMILY LOCKHART, 6-0, PITCHER
STOY, ILL. (OBLONG)
Notable:  Played three years of softball for head coach Galen Stover…Pitching Award, Captains Award, Team MVP, First Team All-Conference, All-Area, Honorable Mention as a senior…Pitching Award, Captains Award, Second Team All-Conference as a sophomore…Pitching Award as a freshman…Recorded program record 18 strikeouts in a single game during her junior season…Regional Champions in 2014-'15 and '13-'14…Also lettered four years in basketball…Captains Award, MVP Award, First Team All-Conference as a senior…Second Team All-Conference as a junior…All-Conference Honorable Mention as a sophomore.
Coach Mundell on Lockhart: "Emily has a lot of potential as a pitcher. I can only see her getting better"HANNAH PLOENSE, 5-7, PITCHER/FIRST BASEMAN
BLOOMINGTON, ILL. (BLOOMINGTON)
Notable:  Played four years of softball for head coach Amber McGee…All Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, First Team ICA Class 3A All-State Team, IHSA Scholastic Achievement Award, Big 12 Conference Scholar-Athlete Award, Big 12 All-Conference Softball team in 2014…Big 12 Conference Softball Team, Big 12 Conference Scholar-Athlete Award in 2013…Honorable Mention in 2012...Also lettered in volleyball for two years.
Coach Mundell on Ploense: "Hannah is a big time two way player. She hits for power and will be nice left handed addition to our pitching staff."