NEWARK, DE -- University of Delaware softball head coach B.J. Ferguson (right) has announced the signing of six recruits who will attend the University and begin competing for the Blue Hens during the 2007 season.

Incoming freshmen Riane Hoffman, Michelle Kenney, Mary Ann Magee, Samantha Shawn, Caitlin Smith and Shanette White comprise the Class of 2010 and will begin attending Delaware in the fall.

Hoffman, a catcher from Prospect, KY (Sacred Heart Academy), batted .318 as a junior and threw out 21 baserunners attempting to steal. She was named the team’s top defensive player and was a first team all-region, all-district and all-metro selection. Hoffman, who earned academic all-state honors, was also selected a Kentucky East-West All-Star as a junior. A team captain, she led Sacred Heart Academy to a 24-6 record as the squad was the district runner-up, advanced to the regional quarterfinals, and finished the year ranked 19th in the state.

During Hoffman’s sophomore year Sacred Heart Academy finished 21-10 and again was the district runner-up, advanced to the regional quarterfinals and finished the season ranked 21st in the state. A honor roll student, Hoffman has also played the last two summers for the Louisville Lady Sluggers, who were ASA Class A 18-under National Champions last year.

Kenney, a pitcher and first baseman from Malvern, PA (Great Valley), batted .315 and posted a 1.98 earned run average while playing for the Blazing Angels Gold last summer. She also recorded a 9:1 strikeout-walk ratio in 25 appearances for the squad, which finished with a 30-18 record and placed ninth in the Boulder, CO Louisville Slugger Independence Day Tournament. In the summer of 2004 Kenney played for the Wilmington Blue Thunder, who went 38-17 and finished second in the ASA Eastern Regionals Tournament. She batted .308 for the team while posting a 2.02 earned run average and a 9:1 strikeout-walk ratio in 23 appearances in the circle.

Magee, a third baseman, first baseman and catcher from Carneys Point, NJ (Penns Grove), batted .565 as a junior with 52 hits, 18 doubles, 45 RBI, 38 runs and 10 walks. A tri-captain, Magee was a first team South Jersey Group I and first team Tri-County Conference selection and participated in the Carpenter Cup. Magee led Penns Grove to a 20-6 record, as the team won the Palmyra Tournament and advanced to the NJSIAA South Jersey Group I semifinals. As a sophomore Magee, who batted .552 with 47 hits, 14 doubles, 40 RBI, 20 runs and four walks, was named second team South Jersey Group I and second team Tri-County Conference. During that year she led Penns Grove, which is coached by four-year Blue Hen softball player and 1998 Delaware graduate Bonita (Seaman) Green, to a 12-13 record and a berth in the state playoffs.

Last summer Magee played for Tuff-n-Tuffer, which went undefeated at ASA Gold Sectors and competed in the ASA Gold Nationals. During the summer of 2004 Magee hit .443 with 35 hits, seven doubles, 19 RBI and 15 runs scored for Chaos, which finished among the top 20 at the Pony Nationals. Magee, who also was a member of the soccer and winter track teams at Penns Grove, is a honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society.

Shawn, a pitcher, first baseman and outfielder from Westerly, RI (Westerly), batted .400 with 39 hits and six runs scored at the plate as a junior. She was also dominant in the circle, going 11-2 with a 0.27 earned run average and 140 strikeouts. A first team Division One and second team all-state selection, Shawn did not allow an earned run during the regular season and was named the Providence Journal Athlete of the Month. She also threw several no-hitters and was named to the Rhode Island All-Star Team. During her sophomore year Shawn batted .256 and went 16-5 in the circle with a 0.33 earned run average and 188 strikeouts. She was named first team Division One, second team all-state, and was selected to the Rhode Island All-Star Team.

Last summer Shawn batted .292 while going 20-4 with a 0.65 ERA and 174 strikeouts for the RI Thunder, who went 42-17-6 and was the bracket champions at Rising Stars and Pennsbury. Shawn, who also was a first team Division Two and Rhode Island All-Star Team selection in basketball, earned high honors all four years of high school and is a Rhode Island and National Honor Society member.

Smith, a catcher and shortstop from Brookfield, CT (Brookfield), was a CHSCA All-State, all-conference and Danbury News Times All-Area selection last year as a junior. A team captain and the squad’s player of the year, she led the team with a .444 average and 19 runs batted in. Smith, who was also named to the all-conference academic team, led Brookfield to the state quarterfinals with a 15-8 record.

As a sophomore Smith batted .526 and was named all-conference and Danbury News Times All-Area. She was also selected the team’s player of the year, earned the Brookfield Journal Rising Star award, and was a member of the all-conference academic team as she led Brookfield to the state quarterfinals with a 15-7 mark. Smith, who played for the CT Charmers with current Blue Hens Kim Ovittore and Courtney Kelly, is a two-year member of the National Honor Society and has earned high honors every marking period of high school.

White, an outfielder and first baseman from Millsboro, DE (Sussex Central), batted .488 as a junior last year with 23 RBI and a .529 on-base percentage. White led Sussex Central to the Henlopen Conference and Delaware State Championship with a 20-4 record, as she had the game-winning RBI in both the semifinals and finals of the 2005 state tournament. An academic all-conference selection, White was named first team All-Henlopen Conference and first team all-state in 2005. She was also named first team All-Henlopen Conference and first team all-state while earning academic all-conference honors as a sophomore when she batted .429 with 13 RBI and a .491 on-base percentage for Sussex Central, which went 15-4 and advanced to the second round of the state tournament.

White has played the last two summers for the Delaware Diamonds, which went 62-16 in 2004 and 86-19 last year. She led the squad to the Delaware ASA State Championship last year and to first place finishes at two other tournaments. White also earned academic all-conference honors in both volleyball and basketball at Sussex Central.

"We are excited to welcome our new class of freshmen to our team in the fall,” Ferguson said. “This will be one of the strongest classes recruited for the University of Delaware softball program! The class includes added depth to our battery with two pitchers who are versatile defensively and that are quality contact hitters; both Samantha and Michelle will provide the team with much-needed help on the mound with the graduation of Lindsay Jones. The two catchers, Riane and Caitlin, will bring their experience and confidence to solidly run our defense. Mary Ann is a utility player who will add depth to the left side of the infield and who has the offensive capability of hitting the long ball. Last, but certainly not least, is Shanette who has been a standout player at Sussex Central as an outfielder. She is an excellent athlete who will be an asset to our solid outfield play along with providing depth to our offensive output."