BRONX, N.Y.- Before getting ready to defend her team's Atlantic 10 title this upcoming spring, head softball coach
Bridget Orchard has announced the signing of two outstanding student-athletes for the Class of 2018. The Rams will welcome
Morgan Figueroa (Kirkland, Wash/Juanita HS) and
Madison Shaw (Raynham, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham Regional) to Rose Hill in the Fall of 2014.
"We are very excited to about having Madi and Morgan join our Fordham family," said Orchard. "We expect them both to make an immediate impact in our program. Madi is powerful left handed batter who plays the infield and Morgan will give us speed, as she is a lefty slapper who plays the outfield. They fit the culture of program with their hard work, competiveness, commitment and desire to be the best. We have had great success with players that have come through both of their travel ball organizations, the Rhode Island Thunder Gold-Lotti and Washington Lady Hawks Gold-Miller, which are highly successful nationally known programs.
Figueroa, a 5-1 outfielder, comes to the Bronx all the way from the Pacific Northwest, where she has been a standout player under Coach Kristian Dahl at Juanita High School in Kirkland, Wash. A team captain, Figueroa was a member of Rebel squads that finished fifth in the state in 2013 and fourth in the state in 2012. In 2012, Figueroa earned All-KingCo Conference 2A/3A honors, ranking as one of the premier players in the league. Not only garnering recognition from the conference, Figueroa also commanded the respect and admiration of her teammates, taking home Offensive Player of the Year honors as voted on by her fellow Rebels.
When not on the diamond for Juanita HS, Figueroa is a standout member of the Washington Lady Hawks Gold-Miller, one of the nation's premier club squads that has produced several Fordham standouts in the past like Erin Fisher and
Lindsey Kay Bright. Last season, Gold-Miller was ranked 12
th nationally, taking home the title at the Valley Invite while finishing ninth at TCS Nationals, and 13
th at Premier Nationals.
While it may seem tough to equal such athletic accomplishments, Figueroa has proven just as successful in the classroom, racking up a 4.0 GPA in her high school studies. She is a member of the National Honor Society, a Kirkland Rotary Club Student of the Month, and the 2013 Juanita High School Martin Luther King Hero Award recipient as voted on by her classmate and teachers. Figueroa serves as the Co-President of her class cabinet and has been incredibly active in the civic life of her community, having a role on the Kirkland City Youth Council, the Kirkland Teen Traffic Court Advisory Panel, and a commission to help to stop the sale of tobacco to minors.
Joining Figueroa at Rose Hill next fall, Shaw joins the Rams after ranking as one of the top high school players in all of New England under Coach Michael Carrozza. The 5-7 infielder and catcher from Raynham, Mass., is an NFCA All-American, earning First Team honors as a junior in 2013 after being named Second Team All-Region as a sophomore in 2012. Aside from these incredibly prestigious national honors, Shaw was also named First Team All-State by ESPN Boston and All-Scholastic by the
Boston Herald and
Boston Globe following both of those seasons. In addition, Shaw has been honored in each of her high school campaigns by the
Brockton Enterprise and
Taunton Gazette, earning spots on the All-Scholastic Team in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2012, she earned the Taunton Gazette's Player of the Year accolades as well.
As a junior, Shaw hit an astounding .620, knocked five homers, stole 26 bases, walked 19 times, and slugged .962.
On the club circuit, Shaw plays for Rhode Island Thunder Gold under the direction of Coach Dave Lotti.
Also a standout student, Shaw has been a member of the National Honor Society since her junior year.
The 2014 edition of Fordham Rams Softball kicks off its campaign on February 7
th in Orlando at the UCF Knights Invitational Tournament.
