University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Signs Three to NLIs
11/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota softball head coach Jessica Allister announced the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2015-16 season Thursday afternoon. The Golden Gophers' next freshman class will include two Minnesotans in Maddie Houlihan and Taylor Chell and one Oregon native, Jessie Isham.
"We are thrilled to welcome Taylor, Maddie and Jessie to the Gopher softball family," said Allister. "This class will bring a good combination of speed and power to the program. Our staff has really enjoyed getting to know each of these student-athletes and their families throughout the recruiting process. We can't wait to get them on campus next fall."
Plymouth, Minn. native Houlihan has received all-conference recognition five times for Benilde-St. Margaret's. Named the team's offensive most valuable player in each of the last three seasons, Houlihan has maintained a batting average over .600 since her freshman year, striking out only twice in that three-season span.
Entering her senior year, Houlihan already holds the Red Knights' school records for hits (200), total bases (304), steals (132), runs (136) and runs batted in (113). She is also a member of the National Honor Society, the National Spanish Honor Society and has earned four varsity letters in volleyball. She plays club softball for the Minnesota Vortex.
Chell of Nowthen, Minn. is a four-time softball letterwinner for Anoka High School. In 2014, she helped the Tornadoes reach the state tournament for the first time in school history and achieve a third-place finish. She led AHS in runs scored and was one of the team's top hitters, posting a .510 regular-season batting average.
As future teammates Nikki Anderson and Kylie Stober did before joining the Gophers, Chell plays her club softball for the Minnesota Renegades. She was a key cog on a Renegades squad that placed fourth at the ASA National Championships in 2012.
Salem, Ore. native Isham was a Class 6A First Team all-state selection as a junior for Sprague High School in 2014. Playing outfielder and catcher, she hit .757 with an .823 on-base percentage and a 1.590 slugging percentage en route to earning Central Valley Conference Co-player of the Year laurels.
As a junior, Isham racked up 38 RBI, scored 21 runs, stole 12 bases and notched a 1.000 fielding percentage. She has also earned varsity letters for soccer and basketball and plays club softball for the Northwest Bullets.
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