Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Saluki Softball Signs Seven Newcomers on National Signing Day
11/08/2023 | 7:11:00 | Softball
The 2024 Saluki roster currently has eight seniors so head coach Jen Sewell is excited about a group that can come in and compete immediately.Â
"Overall we are thrilled with this class. The focus was to make sure that we filled our needs created by graduation but with players who fit our academic reputation and fit our culture and we have done just that. We wanted to players who have experience with nationally ranked clubs so they are already very experienced when they join us next fall. I think the best part about all seven of them is when they called to yes all they could talk about was just wanting to be Salukis."
Hayden Kurtz (First Base., Peculiar, MO) helped lead Raymore Peculiar High School to a 31-3 record and a 3rd Place finish in Missouri Class 5A this year as well as a 9th Place National Ranking per the NFCA. She was voted as the team MVP and Team Offensive Player of the year twice. Kurtz holds the career-records for average (.470), hits (179), on-base percentage (.515), RBIs (127), doubles (48), and home runs (36) which ranks 8th all-time in the state of Missouri.
Coach Sewell on Kurtz:
"Hayden gives us so many possibilities position-wise so when we got a call about her we immediately perked up to see her play. What really plays well on our lineup card is her ability to play any position on the field and hit for power. She's plays for one of the top ranked clubs in the country so experience level and her training will serve us very well. We graduate some big time pop in the middle of our lineup so we need her to take over one of those middle spots. She's an incredible athlete who's played a ton of sports very well. It's such a win-win for us to get a smart, driven utility style player who can jump right in."
Mikaela Coburn (Outfielder, John A. Logan/Paducah, KY) will join the Salukis from just down the road at John A. Logan College. Coburn is a Paducah native where she had a very successful high school and club softball career. She holds the record for single-season stolen bases (50) at her high school white also leading her club team with 24 stolen bases. Finished her senior season with a .491 average, 55 hits, 57 runs, and five triples while being named All-District and All-Region.Â
Coach Sewell on Coburn:Â
"Mik is a smaller stature player with a big on field presence. We have a long history of quick, feisty top of the lineup style lefties that can set the tone for our lineup and really setup our offense.  Again we graduate some huge names in the outfield with Warwick and Caylor so making sure we filled those holes was a huge priority for us. Fans will enjoy her style. She can do everything from the left side. She will have a year of college ball under her belt with our alum Taylor (Orsburn) Siefert so Mik will very familiar with us walking in her sophomore season. I love the smaller ones with big bats who play with a little chip on their shoulder."
Emma Gipson (RHP/Utility., Olive, IL) is one of two in-state recruits Jen Sewell and staff are bringing into the 2024 class. Gipson has been named the State-Journal Register (SJ-R) Small School Player of the Year. She hit for a .463 average with seven home runs in 42 RBIs in the spring of 2023 while also totaling 156 innings pitched with 236 strikeouts and a 1.52 ERA.
Coach Sewell on Gipson:
"One of the themes of this recruiting class is to deepen our pitching rotation for future season. Emma is one of the top small school pitchers and players in Illinois so keeping her at home was important to us. And surprise surprise – she can hit. We are hoping to use her stuff to matchup with teams where we need to keep it on the ground and use our top ranked defense. She's known our pitching coach Katie Griffith so it's a bit of a reunion for them as pitching coach and student. And the best part is Emma just said from the time we met her that all she wanted to be was a Saluki."
Sarah Cook (Middle Infield, Murphysboro, IL) was named the 2022-23 Southern Illinois Player of the Year in her junior season at Murphysboro. Cook holds the record at Murphysboro for all-time RBIs (140), single-season RBIs (67), single-season home runs (15), single-season batting average (.607), and all-time steals (44). Throughout her time at Murphysboro she's been named to the All-Conference team all three seasons while also being a two-time All-South recipient, and a member of the 2023 First-Team All-Illinois.
Coach Sewell on Cook:
"Many southern Illinoisans will recognize this name. Really one of the best all around athletes to come out of southern Illinois. Again another multi-sport athlete who can play infield or outfield and can swing it. Sarah checks all the boxes – offense, defense, runs well and is the daughter of a coach so she's used to being pushed and expecting to win. In the tradition of other greats from this area like Taylor (Orsburn) Siefert, Jayna Spivey, Shaye Harre, and many others our staff wants to keep these kids playing with Salukis on their chest."Â
Avery Hixson (Catcher, Colorado Springs, CO) is a two-time All-Colorado catcher who was named to the 2023 Colorado 4A First-Team as well as 2023 PPAC (Pikes Peak Athletic Conference) Player of the Year. As a two-time captain, Hixson helped lead her school to a Regional Championship in her final season.Â
Coach Sewell on Hixson:
"Avery is a really cool story. Besides being an all-stater and really talented athlete out of Colorado, she is also the daughter of two SIU alums. This is why we love the Saluki connection. Avery has some really big dreams both athletically and academically so it's going to be really neat to watch her do her thing here in Carbondale. She's another great player who will be able pursue D1 softball and be prepping for medical school. We tell recruits all the time – come here and chase professional school and win championships."
Jordyn Stuessy (RHP., Garden Ridge, TX) helped lead Davenport High School to its first ever playoff appearance in 2023. She finished with 107 strikeouts in 102 innings pitched as a junior and also ranks second in career-RBIs and third in career-home runs at Davenport High School. Stuessy has been a two-time All-District winner while totaling 329.2 innings and and 397 strikeouts while hitting .384 throughout her career. Â
Coach Sewell on Stuessy:
"I know our pitching coach, Katie Griffith, is especially excited for Stuessy to join us. Along with Emma Gipson these two will need to fill some big shoes to graduation with Eberle and Hockerman. Stuessy is a finesse artist who just knows how to get people out. I'm excited to watch her team up with Katie. Jordyn has multiple pitches at multiple speeds so she can get hitters out in a lot of ways. Her club is another top ranked group so she's already pitched in some big games for her club and definitely for her high school program."Â
Sage Grann (Utility. Kansas City, KS) is a three-time All-Conference recipient and was named to the All-Kansas second-team twice throughout her first three seasons of high school. Grann hit for a team-high .570 average during her junior season.  Â
Coach Sewell on Grann:Â
"Part of our offensive recruiting philosophy is that we have enough left-handed hitters available to us on the lineup card and Sage helps us do just that. Like Kurtz – Sage needs to fill some of the graduation holes in lineup. Her club like many of the others on this list play big time softball all over the country so when Sage gets to us she will have already competed against the best of the best. These are the types of freshman that come in really ready to contribute."
