Bronx, N.Y. – Head coach
Melissa Inouye and the Fordham softball program will welcome five new faces to the team for the upcoming 2022 season – infielder Allie Clark, outfielder Mallory McClellan, outfielder Mary Grace O'Neill, pitcher Emilee Watkins, and catcher Sydney Wells make up the Class of 2025.
"We're excited to welcome our talented class of 2025 recruits to our RAMily!" Coach Inouye said, "We were successful recruiting both locally and nationally with all five coming from different states across the country. All five have competed in some of the best travel ball tournaments and a majority of them excelled as multi-sport athletes in high school. This class brings more depth to our team and will help us continue to succeed in the Atlantic 10 and in postseason play. We're really looking forward to getting Sydney, Mallory, Emilee, Mary Grace, and Allie to campus in the next few weeks to work with them and see them compete and succeed in the classroom and on the field."
Clark, a 5'7 infielder from Southport, Conn., earned four varsity letters at Fairfield Ludlowe under head coach Lou Bunosso. Named Team MVP and First Team All-FCIAC as a sophomore, she duplicated the latter as a senior while also adding CHSCA and GametimeCT All-State honors and Academic All-State after slashing .536/.612/1.469 last year, finishing her career with 116 hits. Clark also played volleyball for three years with the Falcons where she was a team captain and All-Conference selection. Clark played her club ball with CT Impact Sears, helping them to the 2020 PGF Northeast championship.
Coach Inouye on Clark - "Allie is a gritty infielder that plays the game hard and has a good presence about her. She will add more depth to our infield and is a good contact hitter that has a good eye at the plate."
Clark on Fordham – "I chose Fordham because it checks all the boxes. The strong academics, storied softball program, incredible coaching staff, and all the opportunities that NYC has to offer were hard to turn down, as well as being just a train ride away from home."
McClellan, a 5'10 outfielder from Avon Lake, Ohio, earned three varsity letters over four years at Avon Lake under head coach Jana Peachman. A two-time All-Conference and All-County honoree as a sophomore and senior, McClellan also added All-District accolades last year while serving as team captain. She was named the team's Offensive MVP and also garnered an All-Academic award by her conference. McClellan played her club ball with Finesse Fastpitch. Off the field, she served as her class' vice president and was a three-time Magna Cum Laude student.
Coach Inouye on McClellan - "Mallory is a versatile player who adds more speed and depth to our talented and athletic outfield. We look forward to adding another lefty bat to our program."
McClellan on Fordham - "Deciding on Fordham was simple. The culture of high academics and athletics is unmatched. Fordham is perfectly situated in one of the world's largest cities and yet I felt right at home on campus. I am proud to be a part of the Fordham Family."
O'Neill, a 5'4 outfielder from Pleasantville, N.Y., earned five varsity letters at Pleasantville under head coach Gina Perino where she finished a decorated high school career with four All-League selections and two All-Section honors. A Westchester/Putnam All-Star honorable mention as a sophomore, she moved up to First Team as a senior when she served as team captain, also winning league MVP and Second Team All-State. A two-time team MVP, she was named a 2021 preseason Lower Hudson Valley Nine Who Shine selection and went on to be a member of the Diamond Nine Plus One team and a Section 1 postseason game changer after batting .730 across her senior campaign. O'Neill was also an All-League honoree in basketball and soccer, as well, serving as team captain in the former and helping her team to a state championship as a junior with the latter. O'Neill played her club ball with TC Futures. Off the field, she was a member of four different National Honor Societies and was named her school's Female Athlete of the Year as a senior.
Coach Inouye on O'Neill – "Mary Grace is very athletic, exceeding in soccer, basketball, and softball in high school. She is a true triple threat hitter, an aggressive baserunner, and with her speed, she will be able to steal bases, score runs, and track down a lot of balls in the outfield."
O'Neill on Fordham – "I chose Fordham because of its combination of rigorous academics and its very competitive softball program. I felt that it was a place that I would be able to thrive in and have an enjoyable college experience. I also think that the connections I will be able to make here cannot be found at most schools and this will give me an advantage at having a successful future."
Watkins, a 5'7 pitcher from Mansfield, Texas, earned four varsity letters for Mansfield under head coach Jennifer Haltom. A Second Team All-District selection as a sophomore, she earned First Team honors the next two seasons. She was also named Academic All-District all four years and Academic All-State as a senior. Watkins played her club ball with Epic FP National-Smith.
Coach Inouye on Watkins - "Emilee has a strong pitching frame with good mechanics and played competitively year round in Texas with high school and travel ball. She has a good demeanor about her, good velocity on her repertoire of pitches, and is a nice addition to our pitching staff."
Watkins on Fordham – "I chose Fordham mainly because of the amazing coaching staff. Even though I was a virtual recruit and wasn't able to come to campus until the summer, all of the zoom calls and online tours made Fordham feel like the right fit. I was also definitely drawn to the city aspect with the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and explore something brand new, while having the chance to play the sport I love at a highly competitive level."
Wells, a 5'9 catcher from Selah, Wash., earned four varsity letters for Selah under head coach
Bill Harris. As a freshman, Wells earned All-League honors and was named a USA Preps Top 25 softball prospect. As a sophomore, she was named Fastpitch NW MVP and All-Star. Wells was within the top 15 of infielders within Washington state and an All-State top five as a catcher, garnering League MVP and All-League accolades as well as Softball Athlete and Female Athlete awards. A two-time team captain, Wells finished her career by setting the school's home run record with 42. Wells also earned three varsity letters apiece with basketball and volleyball, earning All-League honors multiple times for both and helping the Vikings to District and League championships with the former as a sophomore. Wells played her club ball with the WA Angels, helping them to a U14 NSA State title and a U18 NSA State title, and WA Ladyhawks, helping them to a top-10 finish at PGF Nationals.
Coach Inouye on Wells – "Sydney is an athletic and aggressive catcher with a good softball IQ and a solid arm who can also play in the infield. She is aggressive behind the plate and with her big swing, she will definitely add more offensive power to our program."
Wells on Fordham – "I chose Fordham because of the coaching staff, Fordham's academics, and the softball program's winning tradition."
