SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Head softball coach Leigh Ross announced the signing of four recruits who will join the Syracuse softball team for the 2010 season. Morgan Nandin (North Syracuse, N.Y.), Stacy Kuwik (Fairport, N.Y.), Veronica Grant (Temple City, Calif.) and Ashley Dimon (Burlington, N.J.) will don the Orange next fall.
Nandin is in her senior year at nearby Cicero-North Syracuse High School where she plays shortstop. In addition to helping her high school team to a state championship, Nandi earned second-team all-league and second-team All-Central New York in 2005 and first-team all-league and second-team All-Central New York in 2006. Nandin also played varsity basketball for the CNS Northstars. Her travel team is the TC Tremors Gold.
“I am very pleased to have another local player joining the squad next year,” Ross said. “Morgan is a defensive gem who plays the game with great instinct. Her high school team, Cicero-North Syracuse, is considered to be one of the strongest in New York. The team has appeared in the state championship two of her three seasons so far, including winning it her freshman year. She has played shortstop for CNS all four years and will work in the middle infield for us, as well. Morgan also has gained valuable experience by playing with the TC Tremors ASA Gold team.”
Kuwik is entering her fourth varsity season as the starting pitcher for the Fairport High School Red Raiders. As team captain in 2008, Kuwik helped lead the team to a league championship, the New York State Section V AAA
Championship and to a win against the Section V AA Champions to qualify for the regional quarterfinals. In her three years at Fairport, Kuwik has compiled a 19-4 record on the mound with 273 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.42. Kuwik has also posted a .489 batting average, tallying 36 runs, 33 RBI and three homeruns. She has earned third team all-state honors twice, Monroe County Division I Player of the Year twice, Class AAA Tournament MVP honors two times, first-team all-county three times and
Democrat & Chronicle all-greater Rochester Player twice. She has played with the Rochester Lady Lions, the Horseheads Lady Bandits and for the TC Tremors Gold.
“Stacy is a teammate of Nandin's on the TC Tremors,” Ross said. “She has thrown the majority of the innings for the Tremors for the past two summers and has faced some of the best high school players in the country. ‘Q’ will have an immediate impact as a member of our pitching staff. She throws hard and has good command of her pitches. I am most impressed with her work ethic and desire to continuously improve - that is what could make her a successful pitcher in the BIG EAST. Q is also a solid left handed hitter and has great potential to help us offensively.”
In addition to excelling on the field, Kuwik has also earned several academic honors. She was named to the 2006 and 2007 NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Team, earned the Olde English “F” Service Award in 2006 and 2007, awarded both the 2007 Academic Excellence Award and the 2007 Principal’s Recognition Award . She placed third in the Monroe Community College Engineering Competition.
Grant is a four-year varsity softball player out of California who has garnered numerous awards. As a sophomore Grant was n
amed team MVP and earned second-team all-area, second-team all-league and second-team CIF accolades. During her junior season, she garnered first-team all-area, all-league and CIF honors. Grant has also been a member of her high school soccer team. As a sophomore on the varsity squad, Grant was named Rookie of the Year and, during her junior season, she earned second-team all-area accolades. Off the field, Grant has been active in Girl Scouts for 12 years. She earned both the Bronze and Silver Awards and is a Gold Award candidate.
“Veronica Grant is a three-tool athlete,” Ross said. “She has great speed, a strong arm and a powerful bat. Veronica is primarily a shortstop, but can play almost anywhere on the field. Her natural ability and athleticism, coupled with her year-round playing experience out of California will be a great asset to the program. I am eager to see the untapped potential "Ronnie" possesses.”
Dimon is heading into her fourth year as the starting catcher for Notre Dame High School. As both a catcher and outfielder, Dimon has helped ND to two CVC League championships and two New Jersey Non-Public “A” State
championships. She earned honorable mention all-CVC in 2006 and first-team All-CVC in 2007. In addition, Dimon earned second-team all-area Pennsylvania/New Jersey and second team All-New Jersey Non-Public in 2007. Dimon’s travel experiences have been with the New Jersey Breakers-Gold Houston, which won the 2008 U-16 ASA New Jersey State Championship. Dimon was also a two-year member of the Notre Dame basketball team and earned Team MVP and honorable mention All-CVC in 2008.
“Ashley Dimon has the potential to be a long ball hitter in the BIG EAST,” Ross said. “She is a naturally strong kid and has a great swing. Her high school team has been very successful in the state of New Jersey, winning two state championships. Ashley will definitely see time behind the plate for us.
“All four of these players have gained very valuable experience by playing on prominent ASA Gold teams during their careers,” Ross said. “It has allowed them to play with and against some of the top high school players in the country. The experience they have gained will help them transition into BIG EAST softball.
“The 2009 class is a combination of power, speed and finesse. Along with that, all four players possess the intangibles that we have built our philosophy on - strong work ethic, great attitude and a winner's mentality.”