SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana softball head coach Gretta Melsted is pleased to announce the signing of five student-athletes who will compete as freshmen in the spring of 2022. The signing class has a local flavor with three members from Sioux Falls in Andrea Cain, Liz Dierks and Summer Stoll. The other two signees are Sydney Herbert from El Dorado, Kansas, and Hailey Houston, hailing from Long Beach, California.
 
"I am thrilled to be signing these five women to our softball program," Melsted said. "They are a wonderful class with really, really good people. They continue the Augie softball tradition of high character, high academics and high athletic ability.
 
"Specifically, this class brings in speed, speed, speed and more speed. It is a very athletic class and we brought in a great pitcher. I'm excited for them to join our Augustana softball family and for them to leave their mark on the program like the classes before."
  
Andrea Cain | Utility | Sioux Falls, S.D. | Brandon Valley HS
 
Coach Melsted's Take: Andrea is a pure athlete who got involved with higher-level travel ball later in her high school career. Andrea's best days of softball are ahead of her, which is very exciting for someone as athletic as she is. Andrea is a gritty and gutsy player who is known to make incredible diving plays. She adds more athleticism to our team and her speed puts a lot of pressure on the defense. Andrea's all-out effort on the field makes her stand out whether she is in the infield or outfield. Off the field, her academics are at the very top.
 
Prep: Playing for Brandon Valley High School, Andrea batted at a .415 clip during her senior campaign while scoring 21 runs and stealing 10 bases. She tallied an on-base percentage of .528 while the Lynx placed fourth in the state tournament. She twice helped Brandon Valley earn ESD Championships throughout her four-year career. Cain played travel softball for South Dakota Gold.
 
Andrea plans to earn a degree in exercise science at Augustana.
 
Liz Dierks | Outfield | Sioux Falls, S.D. | Harrisburg HS
 
Coach Melsted's Take: Liz is an extremely athletic outfielder. Her speed is game-changing. Not only can she track down balls in the outfield and cover a huge amount of space, but she has the big arm to go with it. Liz is really a very complete softball player.  Her slapping skills are highly refined and again, her speed is game-changing. Liz has been coming to Augie clinics since she was in elementary school so it has been fun to watch her turn into the athlete she is now. She, also, is a very strong student. She continues the Augustana tradition in her home with both of her parents being Augie graduates!
 
Prep: While playing for the South Dakota Renegades, Dierks was the team leader with a .465 batting average this past summer while leading the team in hits, triples, runs scored and stolen bases. As the team captain, she helped lead the Renegades to the 18u A National Championship contest where they finished runner-up. She also helped lead her team to the South Dakota State Fastpitch Championship. In 2019, the Renegades earned a preseason ranking from FloSoftball at No. 23.
 
Liz plans to earn a degree in health sciences while attending Augustana.
 
Sydney Herbert | Infield/Outfield | El Dorado, Kan. | Circle HS
 
Coach Melsted's Take: Syd is another very athletic addition to our class. She is a very smooth shortstop. Syd is the complete infielder for us.  She can hit for power and for average, has a good arm, and is very strong defensively. She is a five-tool athlete. Syd is coming to us from Kansas and we were lucky to come across her at a tournament in the fall several years ago and is another academically strong student.
 
Prep: Herbert is an All-State selection after batting .406 for Circle High School. She set a school record with 32 RBI and 15 stolen bases while leading her team in slugging percentage. She also earned First Team All-League Utility honors and an honorable mention in the circle as a pitcher. Herbert played travel softball for Tulsa Elite 316 Prospects.
 
Sydney plans to earn a degree in exercise science or business while at Augustana.
 
Hailey Houston | Pitcher/Outfield | Long Beach, Calif. | Woodrow Wilson HS
 
Coach Melsted's Take: Hailey comes to us from Southern California and is another recruit that we were lucky to come across. We searched for a pitcher for a long time in this class and I'm thrilled that we found Hailey. She reminds me of many pitchers that have come through our program. She throws hard and spins the ball very well. Her velocity and rotation will only improve the older she gets and with our strength program. She will continue our tradition of great pitchers in the circle at Augie. Hailey also has an offensive component to her game and she is the type of person who uplifts everyone around her with her positivity and outgoing nature. She, too, is a strong student.
 
Prep: Houston has been named a team captain for her upcoming senior season after pitching 41 innings as a junior, tallying 42 strikeouts and totaling a 2.37 ERA. She was named a Top-50 Pitcher of Los Angeles County. Prior to the cancellation of the remainder of her junior season, Houston pitched a complete-game gem, including 11 strikeouts, against the defending league champion, giving up just four hits. As a sophomore, she earned First Team All-League honors while also being named the MVP of the Bruins after totaling 151 innings in the circle with 166 strikeouts. In the batter's box, she tallied a .356 batting average and totaled 18 RBI. Hailey played travel softball for Athletics Mercado Ornelas.
 
Hailey plans to earn her degree in elementary education from Augustana.
 
Summer Stoll | Catcher/Infield | Sioux Falls, S.D. | Lincoln HS
 
Coach Melsted's Take: Summer is another local player who we have watched grow over the years and are excited that she will be joining our Augie family. Summer also continues the Augustana legacy as her mom is an Augustana graduate. She is a utility infielder who will find herself at the corners and behind the plate. She has a strong arm and she can flat out hit. Summer brings power to this recruiting class. She has excellent hand-eye coordination and can be a game-changer with one swing of the bat. Summer is also a very strong student.
 
Prep: Stoll, an All-State performer, tallied a high school batting average of .453 over her three-year prep career. As a team captain during her senior season, she hit three home runs while leading the Patriots to the state championship contest, claiming runner-up honors. As a junior, she led LHS to a 27-1 record and the State Championship. She played her travel softball for the South Dakota Renegades.
 
Summer will choose her major while a student at Augustana.