The University of Sioux Falls softball program has received letters of intent from four future student-athletes that will join the Cougars for the 2014 spring season. Joining the Cougars are the following: Miranda Cain (INF, Brandon Valley, S.D.), Haley Shea Kieser (OF, Chanhassen High School (Minn.), Brittany Hoffmann (INF, New Ulm, Minn.) and Paige Petersen (OF, Pipestone, Minn.).
From Brandon Valley, Miranda Cain earned SDHSAA All-State honors in 2012. She was a three-year varsity player and a two-year captain for the Lynx. She batted .414/.453/.686 last season with 29 hits and a team-best 21 RBI and 25 runs scored. Cain is a member of the National Honors Society and is an “A” Honors student who participated in 2012 Girls State and 2013 Legislative Page. Cain was also named the April 2013 Brandon Valley High School Student Athlete of the Month. She competes on the travel ball circuit with the Midwest Dirt Devils.
“It's easy to feel comfortable and at home on the USF campus,” Cain said. “The close-knit community atmosphere makes going to college less intimidating and adds that much more excitement.”
Haley Shea Kieser played at Williams Field High School (Ariz.) her first two years of high school before finishing her prep career at Chanhassen High School (Minn.). She was a three-year varsity starter who also batted .310 with a .585 on-base percentage with her club outfit, the Minnesota Sting 18U Gold. She played previously with the Minnesota Sting 16U Gold, who tied for ninth at the Louisville Independence Colorado Tournament and finished ranked in the top-25 at the PGF Nationals.
Kieser is an honor roll student who also lettered in academics.
“I was excited about the softball program and being involved in college athletics,” Kieser said. ”I really liked what the business program had to offer and the smaller class sizes. I was also impressed with the overall campus look and feel. “
Brittany Hoffmann will join the Cougars after a stellar four-year career at New Ulm High School (Minn.), where she earned all-conference and 1st Team New Ulm All Journal honors on three occasions thus far. The speedy infielder was tabbed honorable mention all-state as a sophomore and all-section as a junior. She is a four-year starter for the Eagles and was selected to the 2012 Minnesota State tournament team. Hoffmann plays club ball for the New Ulm Girls Fastpitch Assoication. In the classroom, she is a four-year honor roll student and two-year member of the National Honor Society. In addition, Hoffmann was selected as softball representative for “Pursue Victory with Honor through Character Counts” nominee from New Ulm High School for Excel Award.
“I liked the fact that USF has a lot to offer even though it is a smaller school,” Hoffmann said. “I was also really impressed with the softball program and am very excited to be a Cougar next year!”
Hailing from Pipestone Area High School and a former teammate of USF righthander Bailey Bouman, Paige Petersen hit .382 as a junior with a .992 fielding percentage.
Named the Arrows' Most Improved Player as a freshman and Most Valuable Player as a junior, Petersen is a two-time all state and three-time all-section honoree. She also received all-conference recognition as both a sophomore and a junior. Petersen is an honor roll student who will be graduating from Pipestone with honors.
“What drew me to USF was its location and proximity to my home town of Pipestone along with its beautiful campus and competitive softball program,” Petersen said.
The Cougars went 15-27 overall this season (10-18, NSIC).
