Oregon Ducks Softball And Women’s Basketball: Recruiting Update

Nov 17, 2022 - 1:41 AM

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Morgan L. Blackwell

Last week, Oregon Ducks women’s basketball signed a trio of four-star recruits for 2023, with all three being in the top 70 players in the nation.

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Sofia Bell

6-1 guard Sofia Bell is an Oregon talent and currently plays at Jesuit HS in Portland. She is rated the overall number 26 recruit and the top player in Oregon. Her father, Greg Bell, played for the Ducks from 1981-85. Coach Kelly Graves remarked on Bell that “Sofia is a perfect fit for our program and how we play. She’s a long, versatile guard who can play any backcourt position. She’s an elite 3-point shooter but can also create for herself and her teammates. Sofia is considered one of the best defenders in country, as well.”

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Sarah Rambus

6-3 forward Sarah Rambus comes to Oregon from Flint, MI, and is the number 66 ranked player in the country. What coach Graves had to say about Rambus was that she is “a versatile player who can play inside and out with great length, which is always a positive. She can be a defensive presence and is a good shot blocker. Versatile, can shoot the three, she’s really good with her back to the basket.”

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Samantha Wagner

A 6-1 wing from San Antonio, TX, Samantha Wagner is ranked number 42 nationally and is the third-highest ranked recruit from the state of Texas. Wagner originally committed to Baylor, but when then-coach Kim Mulkey hired on at LSU in 2021, Wagner moved her commitment to Texas. Coach Graves’ thoughts on Wagner was that “Sammie is a baller – she loves to play and is a real student of the game. We love her versatility and her ability to impact a game in multiple ways. I’ve always been impressed with her passing, as well as her ability to play pick-and-roll basketball. She competes and has always been a great teammate.”

Wagner is well on her way - she has graduated from high school and will enroll at UO in January. That will give her a head start in practicing with the team in spring and summer ahead of the 2023 season.

By The_Badwater

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NEW BALLERS IN SOFTBALL

Oregon continues to front-load a lot of softball talent this Fall. Head Coach Melyssa Lombardi, facing what could be a pivotal season at The Jane, has signed six new players for the class of 2023. Oregon is believed to have signed the #13 recruiting class in the nation as evaluated by Extra Inning Softball.

The Ducks have inked 4 players from talent-rich California, one from Alabama and one from Hawai’i. The group is balanced by position, with two infielders, two outfielders, a catcher and a pitcher.

Right-handed pitcher Taylour Spencer joins the Ducks bullpen from Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, California. She has numerous awards including all-league and 4-time academic scholar and was named to the all-tournament first team for the Broncos. Spencer bats left.

Catcher and utility player Braiesey Rosa is the 23rd-ranked player in Extra Inning’s “Top 100” playing out of Waianae High School in Waianae, Hawai’i. She is an excellent student, having made both the Dean’s List and honor roll for her work in the classroom. Rosa was a member of Team Polynesia that beat the US in the final of the Triple Crown Softball International Challenge. She bats right and throws right.

Birmingham, Alabama’s Katie Flannery is the 8th ranked player in the nation and the highest-rated 3rd baseman. She was named player-of-the year for her outstanding performance in the 2022 season when she hit .451 with a .778 slugging percentage and a 1.381 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage). Flannery can hit for power, compiling 24 extra-base hits with 10 dingers. Flannery bats and throw right.

Abby Steffen began her diamond career in Little League Baseball where she was selected as the first female all-star. She is a two-time all-league selection at Chula Vista, California’s Eastlake High. She led the team in homers her Junior year and is another scholar-athlete with a great academic record. Steffan bats and throws right.

Ayanna Shaw comes to Eugene from Mater Dei Catholic High School in Lemon Grove, California. As an outfielder, she has been an all-league selection and helped lead her school to a Division II State Championship. She was the player of the year in the Mesa League and has a .468 batting average so far in high school. She is a National Honor Society member and bats and throws left.

Outfielder and #91-ranked Regan Legg comes to the Ducks from San Juan Hills High in Ladera Ranch, California. She was a 4-year starter in high school in softball, but also competed on the track team. Legg was a member of the league champion 4 x 100 relay team, as well as taking 3rd in league in the 100 meters. Her speed and athleticism allow her to chase down balls deep in the outfield. Legg bats and throws right.

By Slurms Mac Court