11/09/05– FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

USA'S CLARK ANNOUNCES JENNY STEVENS AS FIRST SIGNEE TO INAUGURAL PROGRAM

CONTACT: Kevin Beasley

MOBILE, Ala. - University of South Alabama women's softball head coach Becky Clark announced that Jenny Stevens has signed her national-letter-of-intent to play for the Jags' Inaugural season in 2007.

Stevens, a shortstop from Jackson High School in Jackson, Ala., comes to USA after a stellar high school career. As a junior, Stevens earned 4A all-state honors (First Team) and was a finalists for Alabama's 4A Miss Softball after batting .528 (84-for-168) with 72 runs driven in, 56 runs scored, and 52 stolen bases. She also had a blistering on-base percentage of .765 while only striking out twice. She named to the Mobile Register's "Super 12" First Team as a junior and this past summer was an AHSAA All-Star selection competing at the North vs. South All-Star Sports Week held in Montgomery.

"Jenny possesses a combination of speed, athleticism, and smarts and that's a great combination for any middle-infielder," said Clark. "Offensively she is a great situational hitter and instinctual baserunner. She has a great feel for the game and picks up on the little things that most players don't notice."

During her sophomore campaign, Stevens was again a First Team all-state selection after setting the Alabama High School State record for runs scored and stolen bases. She finished the year with 93 steals and 84 runs scored. Her batting average, .500 (54-for-102), was a then-school record that she eclipsed a year later. Stevens also drove in 60 runs, while only striking out five times. She was also chosen to the "Super 12" second team as a sophomore.

As a freshman, she batted .429 in 91 plate appearances with 36 runs scored, 56 RBI's and 42 stolen bases, while striking out on only three occasions.

She has been a starter for coach Bob Bumpers at JHS since seventh grade and is expected to add her name to the state record books again during her senior season as she nears the career stolen base mark.

“Jenny is a tremendous competitor," said Bumpers. "She doesn’t know what it is like to play on a losing team and she is very intense as a player. She is just a pure athlete with a great arm, speed, and a very good bat and glove. South Alabama is getting a very versatile athlete that I believe will be an asset to the program."

Stevens not only excels on the field, but also in the classroom, as she holds a 4.2 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society.

"Jenny is the type of player you can build a program around," said Clark. "She's incredibly well-rounded; she's not only a great athlete but a great student, as well. It only takes talking to her for five minutes to realize how outgoing and mature she is. I believe she is going to be a great representative of South Alabama and what we are trying to build with our softball team."