Sorcerer 18 Gold - Mumma

Sorcerer pitcher Samantha Albanese has verbally committed to accept a softball scholarship to Northwestern University.  Sammy, who visited the Evanston, Ill. campus late last year, recently gave her verbal to Wildcats head coach Kate Drohan.

"Northwestern has always been my number one choice," Sammy said, "so this has been like a dream coming true." 

The school, she said, is a perfect combination of academics and softball.  Sammy plans on attending Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management to study business, finance or economics.

"Everything about my unofficial visit was outstanding - the school, the coaches, the players, the campus, and Evanston itself," she said.

Albanese is currently a junior at Castilleja, a college prep school for girls located in Palo Alto, Calif.  During her softball career there, she was named league MVP following her frosh and soph campaigns and was named to the Cal High Sports All-State team and various All-American teams both years.  Students Sports Softball lists her as one of the nation's top 100 recruits in the class of 2010.

"We are all incredibly proud of Sammy," Sorcerer coach Phil Mumma said.  "First, she is what we always want our players to become - student-athletes.  Second, her tremendous work ethic and love of the game have helped her improve dramatically. And, she competes as hard as possible every time she is in the circle.  You really can't ask a player for more than that."

She will join Sorcerer teammate Emily Allard as a future Wildcat, Emily having signed with Northwestern in November. In recent years Northwestern has become a national softball power under Drohan. Last year the Wildcats won both the Big 10 regular season and conference tournament titles on their way to an 18-2 league record and overall 40-16 mark.  They were eliminated in the super regionals by eventual national champion Arizona State. Northwestern reached the WCWS semifinals in both 2006 and 2007.

Congratulations and Purple Power, Sammy!

Sorcerer first baseman/outfielder Alex Robben hasverbally committed to accept a softball scholarship tothe University of California-Berkeley.

Robben, a sophomore at Napa High School in Napa, Calif., gaveher commitment to Bears head coach Diane Ninemireduring a Dec. 10 unofficial visit to the Berkeleycampus.For Alex, who is serious about softball andacademics, Cal was a perfect choice. "I love theacademic options I will have at Cal," she said. "Andthe coaches, who I really like, are interested inhelping me grow both as a student and as a softballplayer. Plus, it is close to home and I will beplaying on a great team."

Alex, daughter of Sorcerer 10&U coach Rick Robben andsister of Wisconsin Badger standout Ricci Robben, is aleft-handed hitter with a rare combination ofshort-game skills and power. A polishedbunter/slapper with sub-2.7 speed to first, Alex alsopossesses the power to drive the ball out of the park,which she demonstrated as a member of the Sorcerer 14sand 16s, and as a two-time selectee to the NationalFutures Camp. That camp brings together the 64 mostpromising underclassmen in America.

Derek Allister,who organizes the camp with his wife Joanne, said thatRobben's performance at this fall's event solidifiedher stature as one of the players at the top of the2010 class.

"Alex has worked hard to achieve her goal, which is toplay in a top-tier program at an academicallyexcellent university," Sorcerer Gold coach Phil Mummasaid. "We are all proud of and excited for her."

Robben joins Sorcerer teammates Ashley Decker, a 2010second baseman/outfielder who verballed several weeksago, and Jordan Wallace, an '09 infielder whocommitted last fall, as future Bears. They will joinformer Sorcerers and current Cal players ValerieArioto and Marissa Drewrey.

Cal, a member of the powerful Pacific 10 Conference,was the 2002 Women's College World Series Champion.

Sorcerer junior pitcher Hannah Williams has verbally committed to accept a scholarship to attend Fresno State University.

Williams, who attends Freedom High School in Oakley, CA,gave her commitment to Bulldog head coach Margie Wright during a recent unofficial visit.

Hannah joined Sorcerer Gold-Phil following two fall seasons and a two-summer stint with the Orange County Batbusters, last year's 18 Gold Nationals runner-up.

Williams was impressed with a number of things thatshe saw at Fresno during her visit. "I loved the stadium and can't wait to play there," she said. "Ilike the fact that they will let me hit, as that is something that I really love to do. The Bulldogs area very good team, with a great coach and it is close to home, so my family can see me play, which is a real plus. And the school has a strong kinesiology major,which I plan to study to become a physical education teacher," Williams said. Hannah also likes the fact that Canadian Olympic team pitcher Robin Mackin will be a junior at Fresno St.when she arrives as a freshman. "She is anestablished player that I can learn from and competewith, and I like that," Hannah said.

Sorcerer Gold coach Phil Mumma is happy to have Williams as a member of the Sorcerer pitching staff."Hannah returns to NorCal following two years of experience with perhaps the most legendary ASA program, the Batbusters," he said. "She verballed on the strength of her performance there, and we look forward to continued great things from her. We are already proud of her for committing to a very powerful collegiate program."

At Freedom H.S., Williams compiled an 18-4 record,including 13 shutouts, and was named Bay Valley Athletic League MVP.

Last season Fresno State compiled a 47-18 season, 15-3in the Western Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs qualified for the NCAA regionals. Fresno State was the 1998 Women's College World Series champion.

Five Sorcerer Gold - Phil players - Emily Allard, Molly Medeiros, Janel Salanoa, Jordan Wallace, and Kayla White - have signed National Letters of Intent to accept softball scholarships and play at the collegiate level.

Emily Allard, a product of the Sorcerer organization, has played with Phil's Gold team since the fall of 2006, and signed with Northwestern University.  An Under Armour High School All American, Emily is a first team All-State selection, a three-time first-team All-Bay Valley Athletic League choice, and her league's Most Valuable Player last year, in both softball and basketball.  An outfielder for Sorcerer, Allard pitches for Deer Valley High School in Antioch, racking up 444 strikeouts in three years. She hit .513, with a .679 slugging percentage last season and was 25 for 25 in stolen base attempts. "Emily is an amazing athlete and she continues to get better," Northwestern coach Kate Drohan said.  "She is a game changer with speed, power and versatility and will have an impact on our program from day one." "She personifies what our program is all about," Sorcerer coach Phil Mumma said. "Emily is a great player, outstanding student, and active member of her community. She has been excellent in every way."

Molly Medeiros, who signed with Loyala Marymount University, joined Sorcerer for the 2008 fall season.  Molly previously played at the Gold level for the San Jose Sting and San Jose Strikkers.  A senior at Presentation H.S. in San Jose, Medeiros last year pitched her team to a Central Coast Section runner-up finish, earning first team All-League, first team All-County, and second team All-State honors. Molly will join a strong LMU squad, coached by Gary Ferrin, that has become a perennial championship contender in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. "Molly had a great fall for us," Mumma said, "both as a pitcher and a hitter."  "We expect big things from her this coming summer. Coach Ferrin and LMU made a very good choice."

Jordan Wallace, another player who moved up through the ranks of the Sorcerer organization, signed with the University of California.  She has been a middle infield mainstay for Sorcerer Gold - Phil since the fall 2006 season, when she verballed as a sophomore. "Jordan is a big-time power hitter with great range as an infielder," Cal coach Diane Ninemire said.  "She is a tremendous athlete who brings a great deal to our program." A product of Fairfield H.S. Wallace is a perennial All-League peformer and was selected as Monticello League MVP in both 2007 and 2008.  Last year she hit a league high .461 with six homers, 23 rbi and 36 runs scored on her way to a second All-State first team selection.  She has also been an all-league choice in volleyball. "Jordan is a gamer," Mumma said, "a fierce competitor that lays it on the line every day.  Her mental toughness matches her excellent physical ability." "I chose Cal," Jordan said, "because I am a California girl and I look great in blue and gold."

Kayla White, an outfielder with Sorcerer Gold - Phil since the 2007 fall season, signed with U.C. Riverside. Kayla has been a two-time all-league selection and team MVP in softball and an all-league choice in basketball  at Mount Pleasant H.S. in San Jose, before sitting out her junior year following her transfer to Piedmont Hills High.  A college prep student at Piedmont Hills, White serves as an umpire and mentor in the East Valley Softball League, a recreational program for girls. Before joining Sorcerer, Kayla played for the San Jose Strikkers gold team, coached by Tom Sorci and Bill Sparrey. "I knew before I left campus on my official visit that I would sign with U.C. Riverside," White said.  "The team made me feel at home, as did coach (Connie) Miner.  I know that I can make a difference as an outfielder at UCR and that's what I intend to do," she said. "Kayla is a gifted athlete with great speed," Mumma said, "who has the potential to make a significant impact on UCR softball and on the Big West Conference."

Janel Salanoa signed with University of Louisiana at Monroe as a member of Sorcerer Gold - Pete, before joining Sorcerer Gold - Phil for the upcoming season. Janel attends Evergreen H.S. in San Jose where she has played both softball and basketball.  She was named first team All-League shortstop last year, leading the league in home runs.  As a sophomore she was named her high school's soph Athlete of the Year. "Janel plays the game as it should be played and does not take a pitch off," ULM coach Rosemary Holloway-Hill said. "She can play middle infield, the corners and in the outfield and can definitely help us get to the next level," Holloway-Hill said. "The first thing that you notice about Janel is how hard she plays," Mumma said. "I love that about her.  And, she can play well anywhere - she can even catch. You don't see many kids with that kind of versatility," he said.

Three other Sorcerers from last summer's team also signed NLIs.  They are outfielder/catcher Whitney Massey with Wisconsin; first baseman/outfielder Kasey Tydingco with Tennessee Chatanooga; and infielder Shea Williams with Cal Poly.  The trio will play this summer with Sorcerer Gold - Pete.

Congratulations to Sorcerer signees in the class of 2009!