Aug. 11, 2008

8.11.08 - Incoming Freshman Erika VanWinkle was recently featured in the 2007-2008 Best of Issue for VYPE High School Sports Magazine. VYPE High School Sports Magazine is a monthly publication which features high school athletes in all sports throughout the country. VanWinkle was featured in the February edition of the magazine as one of the top catcher's in the area. In July, the magazine did a year end review of the top athletes in various sports and honored VanWinkle for her outstanding year on the softball diamond. According to the magazine, " We listed Erika VanWinkle as an area player to watch. She proved us right by posting a .567 batting average, 41 RBI and 24 stolen bases."

The Ft. Worth native graduated from Southwest High School and signed a letter of intent last December to play softball at MACU under softball coach Jerald Lewis. VanWinkle lead the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in RBIs for the season and her batting average was among the area's best as well. She scored 43 runs for the Lady Raiders in 2008. On the year, she picked off 17 of 21 baserunners attempting to steal. A four year letterman at Southwest, VanWinkle was a four time first team All- District performer, a three time All-Region selection and was twice chosen All-State catcher by the Texas Sports Writer's. She also excelled in the classroom as she was a member of the National Honor Society, a four year Radio Shack Scholar, a Lockheed Scholar, a UIL Scholar Athlete, and graduated Summa Cum Laude.

"Erika is the complete player on and off the field," Head Softball Coach Jerald Lewis said. "She is exactly what you look for in a Student-Athlete. I am proud to bring "Lil' Boot", as she is called in some circles, to my program and I look forward to watching her grow as a person and as an athlete over the next four years."