Sept. 14, 2006
ORLANDO - With fall practice already underway, UCF softball head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie announced Thursday that the 2007 squad will feature six newcomers, all of which should help the Golden Knights have a very exciting year.
Joining a UCF team that did not lost a single senior off last year's roster will be Hillary Barrow (Miami, Fla./Felix Varela), Morgan Bullard (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley), Ashleigh Cole (Pace, Fla.), Marquita Council (Orlando, Fla.), Kaycie Maines (Brandon, Fla.) and Megan Murphy (Port Orange, Fla./Daytona Beach Community College). All six have the chance to help guide the Golden Knights towards a memorable postseason, one in which includes UCF hosting the Conference USA Tournament in May.
Hillary Barrow - Fr., 5-4, Infield - Miami, Fla./Felix Varela
Barrow lettered all four seasons in high school, playing mostly at second and third base. She was named first team all-county her final three seasons and second team all-county as a freshman. Meanwhile, Barrow was selected as a second-team all-state member, won the golden glove award and was the offensive player of the year in Dade County as a senior.
Morgan Bullard - Fr., 5-4, Center Field - Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley
Bullard was a three-sport star in high school, lettering in basketball and volleyball before the softball season began. On the field, she earned first-time all-region honors as a senior, and second-team all-region accolades as a sophomore and a junior.
Ashleigh Cole - Fr., 5-11, Pitcher/Infield - Pace, Fla./Pace
Cole began to receive major honors as a freshman, picking up second-team all-state selections in her first two seasons in high school. She climbed one step higher her second two years, being named a first-team all-state honoree as a junior and a senior. Cole helped lead Pace to a district and regional championship twice and to the state final four twice as well.
Marquita Council - Jr., 5-6, OF - Orlando, Fla./Cypress/Sante Fe Community College (Gainesville, Fla.)
Council, an outfielder, graduated from Cypress High in 2004. Upon graduation, Council enrolled at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Fla., where she played in 43 games last season for the Saints and maintained a .394 batting average and a .971 fielding average. She led the team in on-base percentage (.475) and stolen bases (30), was third in batting average (.394) and fourth in runs (33) and hits (54). Council was named Mid-Florida Conference honorable mention last year. During the summer, she played for Gerry Chambliss' Lady Hawks out of Orlando.
Kaycie Maines - Jr., 5-6, Second Base/Shortstop - Brandon, Fla./Riverview/Hillsborough C.C.
Maines has played her last three competitive seasons with three teams. After graduating from Riverview High School, the Brandon, Fla., native went to East Carolina as a freshman in 2003-04 and then played for Hillsborough Community College in 2005. For Hillsborough, Maines was named first team All-Suncoast Conference and to the 2005 Florida Community College All-State Tournament Team. In high school, she was a first-team all-state honoree as a junior and a senior and set school records for batting average (.431), home runs in a season (five) and homers in a game (three). She helped her team to the state championship as a junior, where she was selected as the Offensive MVP of the title game.
Megan Murphy - Jr., 5-7, Third Base/Outfield - Port Orange, Fla./Donelson Christian Academy (Nashville, Tenn.)/Daytona Beach Community College
Murphy spent two seasons with Daytona Beach Community College, helping the Lady Falcons to a 16-8 record in the Mid-Florida Conference. She was named first team all-conference last year and all-conference honorable mention as a freshman, while also earning Academic All-American honors both seasons. In high school, Murphy set the school's single-season home run record with 12 during her junior campaign with Donelson Christian Academy.
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