Valparaiso softball head coach Randy Schneider announced today that Tori Brown (Harrison, Ohio/Harrison) has signed a National Letter of Intent and will join the Crusader softball program as a freshman for the 2010 season.

“Tori is a great pickup for us this late in the summer and we were quite fortunate she was still on the market,” said Schneider.  “She just brings a lot of versatility into our program right away.  She is not only an outstanding athlete, but also an outstanding student.  While we’re really excited about her future, we feel she can come in and compete right away and help us this year, providing depth we need in our program to help compete for a league title.”

Brown, who played third base in high school but is expected to be a middle infielder at Valpo, was a four-year starter for the Ladycats.  After earning second team All-Conference honors as a sophomore, she enjoyed a standout junior campaign, receiving first team All-Conference accolades after hitting .434 with 25 RBIs, 12 doubles, four triples and nine steals.  Last year, Brown repeated on the league’s first team, batting .345 with 18 RBIs, seven doubles and eight steals.

Brown becomes the fourth incoming freshman to have signed an NLI with Valpo for the 2010 campaign, joining Hayley Bridwell, Jennifer Hermanson and Jessie Marinec, all of whom signed with the Crusaders last fall during the early signing period.