Iowa Infielder to Play at Francis Marion
FLORENCE, S.C. – Francis Marion University softball coach
Stacey Vallee has announced that infielder Michelle Phillips of
Wuakee, Iowa, who played one season at Division I University of
Northern Iowa, will be transferring from Indian Hills Community
College-Ottumwa to FMU and will play for the Patriots this coming
season.
Phillips, a 5-4 right-handed hitter, played last season at Indian
Hills. She batted .375 with 30 runs scored, 12 doubles, two home
runs, 23 runs batted in, and nine stolen bases (in 10 attempts),
while earning second-team All-Region honors. She also recorded a
.514 slugging percentage, a .428 on-base percentage, and a .949
field percentage.
In 2008 at UNI, she batted .149 in 32 contests (24 starts) with two
doubles, a home run, and two RBIs. She compiled a .966 fielding
percentage.
She is a product of Waukee High School, where she played for coach
Jen Slauson. She was a five-time CIML All-Iowa Conference selection
and a four-time All-District and All-State pick. She participated
in the 2007 All-Star Game.
She also lettered in basketball three years and track four years,
include winning the Class 4-A state title in the pentathlon. She
was a member of the student council, the National Council of Youth
Leadership, and the National Honor Society, in addition to being a
four-year honor roll member.
“Michelle is someone who will come in with experience at
various levels and give us depth in the infield,” Vallee
said. “She possesses line drive power and we are happy that
FMU is where she wanted to be!”
Phillips will join 10 players who previously committed to the
Patriots: center fielder Brittany Cannon of Florence, infielder
Tristan Faile of Lancaster, catcher-outfielder Olivia Ferguson of
Roanoke, Va., catcher-first baseman Annie Hegar of Jefferson, N.C.,
catcher-infielder Meghan Heiser of Sacramento, Calif., shortstop
Jessica Hogan of Asheboro, N.C., right-handed pitcher Cea Knox of
Myrtle Beach, right-handed pitcher Rayna McClinton of Columbia,
left-handed pitcher Murphy McConnell of Milton, Ga., and utility
player Jamie Ross of Cape Coral, Fla.
Francis Marion finished the 2009 season with a 32-19 record, and
narrowly missed earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II
National Tournament.