Maggie Strange, Gallatin’s most decorated softball player, took the next step in her playing career last Wednesday when she signed a letter of intent to play softball next season for the University of Wisconsin Lady Badgers.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Strange, who recently earned her third all-state softball award to go along with four all-conference, four all-district and three all-region honors, hosted family and friends on Saturday at a signing party held at Shae’s Place in Gallatin. She was one of five 2009 UW signees to pen an agreement on Wednesday’s National Signing Day.
Maggie led the Lady Bulldogs this season with a .440 batting average, 25 runs batted in, 30 runs scored (tie) and 19 extra-base hits. She was second in hits (33) and stolen bases (29). Defensively, she threw out 21 runners trying to steal.
Over her 86-game high school career (66 wins, 20 losses and three district titles), she averaged over one run scored per game and nearly an rbi per game. She batted .435 as a freshman, .385 as a sophomore, .262 as a junior and .440 as a senior.
Strange will join a Wisconsin team coming off a 15-40 (3-17 Big Ten) season in NCAA Division I play. The Lady Badgers have three NCAA Tournament appearances (last in 2005) to their credit. The Lady Badgers recently completed a 5-0 fall schedule and will resume play again in February.
The University of Wisconsin is located in Madison, WI, with an 2008-09 enrollment of 41,466 students.
"Maggie is very verbal and will do well at controlling the field," said Lady Badger head coach Chandelle Schulte on the UW Badger web site. "She has a tremendous arm behind the plate and a strong passion for the game," she added.
"In addition to all the people I want to thank for their support, I’d like to thank Ashley Guile (University of Nebraska player and KC Zephyr assistant coach) and Livi Abney (former Zephyr teammate and future UW teammate) for encouraging me to attend a big school," Maggie said. "They inspired me, and are my mentors," she added.
Present Saturday in positions of honor were, left to right, Paula Strange, KC Zephyr head coach Robert Wade, Maggie Strange, Gallatin R-5 head coach Casey Cole and Wes Strange.