Four newcomers have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Valparaiso University softball program for the 2017-18 academic year during the early signing period. The Crusaders will welcome three freshmen - Brittany Anderson, Ashley Barker and Addi Burke – as well as a junior college transfer in Kelsie Packard.

“This class is a true representation of the mutually beneficial relationship between our student-athletes and this university,” said Crusader head coach Kate Stake. “Valpo is gaining four very bright students of high character who will proudly represent the school on the field. And, at the same time, these four have gained the opportunity to compete at the Division I level, to compete for conference championships, and to join a group of like-minded, remarkable teammates, while also receiving a top-notch education. It’s a pleasure to have Addi, Ashley, Brittany and Kelsie joining our Valpo Softball family. We are eager to get them here and to feel their impact upon our program, and we look forward to providing them with an exceptional student-athlete experience along the way.”

Brittany Anderson comes to Valpo from nearby Bishop Noll Institute, where she has been a multi-sport standout for the Warriors. A three-time team MVP, she has earned First Team All-Conference and All-Area accolades in each of the last three years. She helped her team capture sectional and regional titles as a freshman, as well as a conference championship as a sophomore. Last season, she hit .560 for Bishop Noll and slugged at a 1.013 clip. On the travel circuit, she has played for the prestigious Beverly Bandits program, helping her team capture the 18U ASA Gold national championship and finishing as national runners-up at 16U PGF.

“Brittany will come to Valpo this fall with a unique opportunity; she’ll be competing for both our volleyball and softball programs during her tenure,” said Stake. “Specifically with softball, she is a local player who participates in one of the top travel ball organizations in the country, and who routinely plays with and against the best national competition. Her recruiting process, which did not initially include us, started very early and had a national scope, but in the end she recognized the advantage to staying close to home and competing in what is essentially her hometown university. We strive to keep the top local players local, and we’re happy to have succeeded in that with Brittany. She is a true utility player, capable of contributing at any position on the diamond outside of pitching. A multi-sport athlete in the truest sense, we’re excited about the opportunity to work alongside the volleyball program to afford Brittany the chance to compete at the Division I level in two different sports.”

Ashley Barker joins the Crusaders from Moline [Ill.] H.S. An infielder, she stood out as a sophomore for the Maroons, leading the team in home runs and doubles while helping the squad capture the conference championship. A First Team All-Conference selection that season, she also was named Defensive Player of the Year by the Rock Island Dispatch-Argus. Barker, who ranks among Moline’s career best in five different offensive categories entering her senior year, currently plays travel softball for the Nationals Fastpitch 18U team. She previously played for the Beverly Bandits (2013-15) and the Quad City Firebirds (2009-13). In 2014, she helped her Bandits team to PGF nationals, while during her time with the Firebirds, they captured a USSSA national title and multiple state titles.

“Ashley is ranked #1 in her class and spear-headed a club at her school that pairs regular and special-needs students together through sport and games,” said Stake. “We found Ashley at a camp and were drawn right away to her coachability and inquisitiveness. She has the ability to hit for average and for power and will play the infield for us. Ashley is someone who visited a lot of good schools and successful softball programs during her recruiting process, and who ended up deciding upon Valpo because she fell in love with what we’re doing here with our softball program and with the opportunities afforded to her in our Engineering department. We want people who love to play and who recognize the great value in Valpo, and as our first commitment in the 2017 class, we think Ashley has demonstrated that well and we look forward to getting her here this fall.”

Addi Burke comes to Valpo from John Horn [Texas] H.S., where she has played both infield and outfield for the Jaguars. A standout in all aspects of the game, she was named District co-Defensive Player of the Year as a junior after earning District Offensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore and District Newcomer of the Year accolades as a freshman. She has been named team MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and Infielder of the Year each of the last two seasons. Burke currently plays travel softball for the Firecrackers DFW 18U Gold team.

“Before seeing any in-game action, Addi caught our attention by how she approached warmups and non-game situations,” said Stake. “She was the most dirt-covered, engaged player at the park. It was clear she loved to play and to compete, and that she had some of the intangible qualities we look for when bringing someone in to our family. Addi is a dynamic player on both sides of the game. She’s a triple threat batter from the left side with an aggressive mindset on the bases, and she has the ability to play both the outfield and infield at our level. Her versatility in that regard will come in handy next year while graduating impact players at multiple positions. She chose to leave Texas and head this way in part because of our excellent Engineering department, and we’re excited to bring in someone who is so eager to play ball and get a great education at Valpo.”

Kelsie Packard will join the Crusaders as a junior next season, as she enters her sophomore year this year at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Ill. She played high school softball at Beloit Turner [Wis.] H.S., where she stood out in the circle, finishing with 58 career victories, a 1.04 career ERA, 11 career no-hitters and 858 strikeouts. Packard was an All-State selection and First Team All-District in each of her four seasons, and was named conference Player of the Year all four years. She played her travel softball for the Illinois Chill Gold.

“Kelsie found some tremendous success this fall against the competition she faced, and we’re excited for her to continue that trajectory at Valpo next year,” said Stake. “She is a power pitcher with good strikeout potential and will add a different dimension to our staff, rounding us out in such a way that the pitchers will complement each other well. Kelsie was our final commitment in the 2017 class and has held true-to- form with the rest of them; she did her due diligence in the recruiting process and ultimately found that Valpo was the best place for her to foster her love of the game and compete for conference championships. We’ve found Kelsie to be a determined and resilient individual, and we anticipate her bringing that competitive edge along with her to Valpo.”