NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State head softball coach Melinda Fischer announced the addition of six players to the Redbird softball team with the signing of National Letters of Intent on Wednesday. Michele Calabrese, Emmy Graver, Mackenzie Leonard, Emme Olson, Kenzie Pence and Ellie Weltha will enroll at ISU next year and join the team for the 2018 season.
"The 2018 class has a lot of defensive versatility, loaded with left-handed hitting, and a great presence in the circle," Fischer said. "All are very good students with ambitious academic and athletic goals. Many are record holders in their high school programs and several have experienced championship level competition. This class will elevate Redbird softball and is in a position to make great contributions early in their careers. I am so excited that this signing day is finally here."
Below are the bios of the six signees:
Michele Calabrese | C/SS | Naperville, Ill. | Waubonsie Valley HSÂ
Waubonsie Valley HS | Coach: Valerie Wood
Wheatland Spikes | Coach: Bill Chval
Waubonsie Valley HS: Earned three varsity letters at Waubonsie Valley for coach Valerie Wood, starting each season …  Named an academic all-conference selection … Owns Waubonsie Valley all-time top-10 records in batting average and RBIs in a season .... Plays for the Wheatland Spikes under coach Bill Chval for the past 11 seasons … Ranked 65th nationally as an 18U team … Garnered over 30 MVP awards … Competed in Super 64 Power Pool in TCS Colorado Fireworks Tournament … Also played basketball at Waubonsie Valley her freshman year.
Personal: Full name is Michele Macarena Calabrese … Daughter of Michael and Rena … Younger sister to Carla Dolmyer and Sabrina Calabrese … Sister, Sabrina, also plays softball at Cornell College, earning academic all-conference honors … Born January 25, 2000 in Naperville, Illinois … Plans to major in political science/pre-law.
Coach Fischer on Calabrese: "Michele brings in a wealth of defensive versatility. She is quick to the ball, has a strong arm and can play any position on the field with the exception of pitching. She has great energy, thoroughly loves the game, and communicates very well."
Emmy Graver | 2B | Urbana, Ill. | St. Joseph-Ogden HS
St. Joseph-Odgen HS | Coach: Randy Wolken
Premier Fastpitch | Coach: Josh Shelmadine
St. Joseph-Ogden HS: Earned three varsity letters at St. Joseph-Ogden under coach Randy Wolken … Named varsity leader for senior season … Garnered first-team all-conference and second-team all-state honors as a sophomore… Named the Rookie of the Year … Also was played utility for Premier Fastpitch under coach Josh Shelmadine … Played infield for the BGNSA Avanti's Angels under coach Steve Hassel.
Personal: Full name is Emily Joan Graver … daughter of Cathy and Craig Graver … younger sister to Chloe … born June 17, 2000 in Urbana, Illinois … plans to major in accounting.
Coach Fischer on Graver: "Emmy is a very smooth defensive player who can also play several positions. Personally, I really like her at second---she has good size and quickness for the position. She gets a good jump on the ball and has a quick release, which can be valuable to complete double plays. I saw Emmy really step up leading her team this summer. Love her left handed bat too."
Mackenzie (Mack) Leonard | P/1B | Normal, Ill. | Normal Community HSÂ
Normal Community HS | Coach: Jeff Cole
BGNSA Avanti's Angels | Coach: Steve Hassel
Normal Community HS: Earned three varsity letters as pitcher at Normal Community under coach Jeff Cole … Three-time unanimous Big 12 first-team selection … Two-time Big 12 Scholar-Athlete award winner … Named to the ICA all-state team as a junior … Selected as team MVP as a sophomore … Honored as the WJBC High School Athlete of the Week on April 18, 2016 … Batted .506 and slugged .899 with eight home runs and 48 RBIs as a junior … Recorded a 1.13 ERA as a sophomore …Logged 24 home runs and 129 RBIs through three seasons at Normal Community … Also plays first base and pitches for BGNSA Avanti's Angels under coach Steve Hassel … 2017 ASA Northern National Champions and State Champions … Three-time USSSA State Champion … ASA State Champion in 2016 … Improved her ERA from 2.68 in 2015, to 1.59 in 2016 and 1.17 in 2017 … Drove in 100 runs in the last two seasons … Batted .481 and slugged .669 in 2017 … Garnered high honors every semester.
Personal: Full name is Mackenzie Lee Leonard … Daughter of the late Kenneth Leonard, Jr. and Lana Leonard … Younger sister to Machayla … Father, Kenneth, competed in track & field at Illinois State from 1989-1993 … Was the 1991 MVC Champion in the decathlon and runner-up in 1992 and 1993 … Mother, Lana, played softball for Coach Fischer at Illinois State from 1989-1993 … Sister, Machayla, currently plays volleyball at Illinois State … Born Sept. 27, 1999 in Bloomington, Illinois … Plans to pursue a career in math or science.
Coach Fischer on Leonard: "Mack has the ability to be a great force at the collegiate level. I have seen her dominate hitters and know there is more when she starts competing in the collegiate game. She throws hard, has good movement and location and has improved each and every year to this point. Mack is a bonus player for us since she can also play first and has a great lefty bat."
Emme Olson | UT | Atlanta, Ill. | Hartsburg-Emden & Olympia HS
Olympia HS | Coach: Courtney Hoffman
Hartsburg-Emden HS | Coach: Gary Rankin
BNGSA Avanti's Angels | Coach: Steve Hassel
Hartsburg-Emden & Olympia HS: Earned three varsity letters in softball under coaches Gary Rankin and Courtney Hoffman … 2017 second-team all-state and Corn Belt first-team all-conference selections … Two-time Tomahawk first-team all-conference selection in 2015 ans 2016 … Garnered the defensive award as a freshman … Led her team in batting average each season … Plays utility infielder for the BNGSA Avanti's Angels under coach Steve Hassel … 2017 ASA Northern National Champions … USSSA and USA 18U state champions … ASA 14U and 16U state champions … Also is a four-year letterwinner in volleyball … Served a captain for two seasons … Named to the Illini Prairie all-conference first-team in 2017 … Finished second at the Illinois state championship in 2014 … Named the defensive award winner in 2015 and all-conference honorable mention in 2016 … Also competed in cheerleading for three seasons … Named the Hopedale Medical Center Student Athlete of the Month … Served as vice president two years … Member of National Honor Society … Collected High Honors.
Personal: Full name is Emme Louise Olson … Daughter of Tracy and Stacy Olson … Sister to Drew, Abby, and Clay … Sister, Abby, played softball for the Redbirds from 2008-11, garnering numerous honors including NFCA All-American in 2010 … Brother, Drew, played baseball for Lincoln College … Born Nov. 16, 1999 in Lincoln, Illinois … Plans to major in financial accounting.
Coach Fischer on Olson: "It's been fun watching Emme develop over the last three years. Each summer she has been asked to play a different defensive position and she has done so remarkably well. She's a leader on the field and leads by example with her strong left handed hitting. She has a great work ethic that will translate well at the next level."
Kenzie Pence | OF | St. Joseph, Illinois. | St. Joseph-Ogden HS
St. Joseph-Ogden HS | Coach: Randy Wolken
Premier Fastpitch | Coaches: Dan and Kristi Paulson
St. Joseph-Ogden HS: Earned three varsity letters as an outfielder at St. Joseph-Ogden under coach Randy Wolken … Nominated as team captain for senior season … First-team all-area and all-Okaw Valley conference selection as a junior … Helped her team to a runner-up finish at the Illinois state tournament, garnering second-team all-state honors in 2017 … Named a second-team all-area player in 2016 and all-area honorable mention in 2015 … Helped her team to the super-sectional title game in 2016 … Holds a .502 average with 135 stolen bases, including 70 in 2016, through three seasons at SJO … Plays travel softball for Premier Fastpitch under coaches Dan and Kristi Paulson … Team captain … Led the team in batting average and stolen bases … 2017 Colorado Firework Tournament champion … Won the Midwest National PGF tournament … Placed ninth at the USA Girls Softball Gold Championships … Helped team to a 43rd ranking in the USA Club Softball rankings … Four-year all-academic letterwinner at St. Joseph-Ogden … Member of National Honor Society … Earned High Honors every semester … Holds a 4.46 cumulative GPA.
Personal: Full name is Makenzie Elizabeth Pence … Daughter of Todd and Kendra Pence … Sister to Jake and Ty … Mother, Kendra, was an academic All-American in basketball and volleyball … Older brother, Jake, was a 2A first-team all-state selection in football … Cousin, Courtney Pence, is an all-MVC honoree in volleyball at Illinois State… Born April 14, 2000 … plans to major in business administration.
Coach Fischer on Pence: "Kenzie possesses what is hard to teach---natural speed and quickness. She gets a great read on the ball and can really cover some ground in the outfield, and also can be that spark in a lead-off position. A lefty slap hitter, Kenzie can provide versatility to an offensive lineup as well as give us some much-needed speed on the bases."
Ellie Weltha | C/1B | Bloomington, Ill. | Bloomington HS
Bloomington HS | Coach: Amber McGee
BGNSA Avanti's Angels | Coach: Steve Hassel
Bloomington HS: Earned three varsity letters at Bloomington HS for coach Amber McGee … Three-time first-team all-conference and all-area selection … Two-time WJBC Player of the Week … Garnered all-state honors as a junior en route to a regional championship … Competed in the Pantagraph all-area all-stars game … Named a unanimous all-conference selection and Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Year … Slugged 32 home runs with 94 RBIs, batting .490 and slugging 1.149 through three seasons at Bloomington … Also played first base and catcher for the BNGSA Avanti's Angels under coach Steve Hassel … Two-time USSSA and ASA State Champions … 2017 ASA Northern National Champions … Drove in 46 runs, batting .382 and slugging .625 with a 1.077 on-base percentage during the 2017 season … Also plays basketball at Bloomington under coach Tom Whiting, earning three varsity letters … Three-time first-team all-conference and all-area first-team selection … Member of the 1,000 Points Club with 1,207 after three seasons … Holds the BHS record for career double-doubles … Also competes in track & field at Bloomington in the shotput and discus events under coach Donald Anderson … Has three varsity letters with career bests of 45-0 in indoor shotput, 44-6.25 in outdoor shotput, and 136-8 in discus … Owns the BHS shotput record … Three-time shotput and discus inner-city champion … Three-time Big 12 Champion outdoor … Three-time Big 12 Runner outdoor … Three-time indoor state runner-up … Named the Bloomington HS Female Athlete of the Year three times … Honored as the 2016-17 Female Pantagraph Area Player of the Year … Named an IHSA and Big 12 Scholar Athlete … Nominated for the State Farm Female Athlete of the Year.
Personal: Full name is Ellie Anne Weltha … daughter of Paul and Anne Weltha … sister to Austin and Jackson … Father, Paul, was a NJCAA national champion heavyweight wrester before earning All-American honors in football at Western Illinois … Brother, Austin, currently plays football at McKendree University, earning all-conference honorable mention honors three seasons … Born April 29, 2000 in Bloomington, Illinois … plans to major in elementary education.
Coach Fischer on Weltha: "Strength and power come to mind when I think about Ellie. She hits the ball hard and when she connects, it usually is for extra bases. She is a hard worker and I will be so excited to see her progress when she concentrates on one sport. Her defensive skills have improved each year and I can see her versatility being behind the plate and the corners. She has a great personality for the game. She just loves to compete."
For updates on Illinois State Softball, follow the Redbirds on Twitter and Instagram.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
