'Roos Add Five To Softball Program
8/30/2010 1:51:00 PM | Softball
Kansas City, Mo. -- Head coach Meredith Smith announced today that the UMKC softball team has added five players to the program for the upcoming season. Joining the program will be sophomores Kendall Patterson and Brooke Whiteside, as well as freshmen Katie Franks, Katie Henning and Megan Smith.
Patterson joins the squad after competing as a freshman for Kansas where she played in five games with one start for the Jayhawks. As a prep, the sophomore catcher and infielder led McLouth High School in McLouth, Kan., to conference championship in all four of her seasons, leading to a spot on the NFCA all-America Third Team in 2008. As a Bulldog, Patterson set the Kansas state records for career hits (164), career doubles (66), career batting average (.743), single season batting average (.810) and single season doubles (27).
Whiteside, the younger sister of UMKC junior outfielder Ashley, joins the 'Roos out of Francis Howell North High School in St. Peters, Mo., where she played under head coach Bob Dunahue. In 2006, the sophomore catcher and outfielder helped her summer team to the AFA National Championship, while helping the squad to a runner-up finish in 2007.
Franks comes to the 'Roos out of Cy-Woods High School in Cypress, Texas, where she helped lead the squad to conference titles in all four of her seasons. As a sophomore in 2008, the freshman pitcher and outfielder earned second team all-district honors, while being named the team's Defensive MVP and garnering first team all-district honors in 2009. As a senior, Franks was named the district MVP, the team Defensive MVP and an academic all-state honoree after posting a 0.24 ERA and a school-record 218 strikeouts.
Henning joins the 'Roos out of Olathe South High School in Olathe, Kan., where she helped the Falcons to a runner-up finish in the 2010 Kansas 6A State Tournament, as well as a seventh place finish in 2009. As a junior, the catcher and outfielder was named second team all-state, while being named all-Johnson County, all-Sun League and all-Metro as a senior after hitting .435.
Smith, meanwhile, comes to the UMKC out of Lawrence Free State High School in Lawrence, Kan., where she helped the Firebirds to a conference championship and a fourth place finish in the state tournament in 2007. As a senior in 2010, the pitcher served as the team captain and was named to the all-area team.
The quintet will make their UMKC debuts later this fall when the 'Roos kick-off their 2010 fall season after tying for fourth place in The Summit League in 2010.
