Nov. 13, 2017
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State softball head coach Kathy Van Wyk has announced Monday the signing of five student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. The five California products join a program that has won a Mountain West-best seven regular-season championships in the 18-year history of the league.
"I'm so excited for our 2018 signing class," Van Wyk said. "We once again have five-tool student-athletes who are going to challenge our returners for playing time and make our program better. I expect each of them to make an immediate impact once they arrive to San Diego State."
Maddison Ayers (Elk Grove, Calif./Sheldon High) has earned four letters so far at Sheldon High School as a shortstop. A two-time second-team all-Delta League selection, Ayers helped the Huskies to three straight section titles and back-to-back league championships. A scholar-athlete all four seasons so far, Ayers recently led SHS to a No. 11 ranking in the nation and No. 4 mark in California. According to MaxPreps, Ayers has compiled a .310 batting average over her career with seven home runs, 23 doubles, 49 runs and 46 RBIs, while drawing 22 walks. She plays her club ball with All-American Sports Academy in Brentwood, Calif., and plans to major in kinesiology when she gets to SDSU.
Paige Barth (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park High), meanwhile, plays multiple positions at Newbury Park High School. A four-year letterwinner, Barth has led the Panthers to a 44-13-1 record (.767) over the past two seasons. Barth is coming off a 2017 season where she hit .438 with four homers, eight doubles, 32 runs, 27 RBIs and nine stolen bases (according to MaxPreps). Over her career so far, Barth is batting .336 with six home runs, 15 doubles, five triples, 60 runs and 49 RBIs.
Jessica Cordola (Santa Clarita Valley, Calif./Saugus High) comes to The Mesa out of Saugus High School where she has earned four letters. A corner infielder, Cordola is coming off a 2017 season where she was named an all-Santa Clarita Valley second-team selection and a first-team all-Foothill League pick for a second consecutive year. Cordola, who led the Centurions to a co-Foothill League title last year, also plays her club ball for Team Easton in Tustin, Calif. She plans to major in business at San Diego State.
Kylie Fraser (Redondo Beach, Calif./Redondo Union High) will be expected to play catcher and at the corner infielder spots with the Aztecs. A four-year member at Redondo Union High School, Fraser brings a wealth of accolades to SDSU, including as second-team all-area selection (2017) and a three-time all-Bay League honoree with the past year on the first team. Fraser has led the Sea Hawks to the 2016 CIF championship game, and consecutive Bay League titles (2015-16). A scholar-athlete, Fraser has also been a two-year captain. She plays her club ball with the Ohana Tigers in Cerritos, Calif., and is intending to major in environmental science at San Diego State.
Paris Nguyen (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Temescal Canyon High), the final member of the Aztecs' 2017 signing class, played multiple positons at Temescal Canyon High School in nearby Lake Elsinore, Calif. Nguyen was an all-Sunbelt League selection last year as well as an academic all-league honoree. She was also an all-valley athlete, an all-inland second-team pick and an all-Southwestern League honoree in 2016. Nguyen played the beginning of her high school career at Murrieta Mesa HS, batting .348 with three home runs, nine doubles, three triples, 31 runs and 35 RBIs from 2015-16 (according to MaxPreps). A multiple time scholar-athlete, Nguyen plays her club ball for Jets Gold and plans to major in business at SDSU.
San Diego State is coming off a 31-18 overall record in 2017 - its 12th consecutive 30-win season - and a 15-9 mark and runner-up finish in MW play. The Aztecs, however, did not receive an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament, despite finishing second in the sixth-best conference in the nation (out of 32 leagues).
SDSU led the country last year with a .356 average, shattering their previous best of .310. In all, San Diego State set seven school records, including batting average, on-base percentage (.418), slugging percentage (.516), hits (497), RBIs (295), sacrifice flies (23) and runs (324, tied).
The Aztecs begin their season on the road for the 11th straight year, playing at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz., from Feb. 8-11. SDSU kicks off the 2018 slate on Thursday, Feb. 8 with games against Georgia (NCAA tournament qualifier) and Stanford, followed by another doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 9 with games vs. Western Michigan and Northwestern, and single games against Nebraska (Saturday, Feb. 10) and UC Davis (Sunday, Feb. 11).