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Virginia Signs Three Softball Recruits
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Jan. 31, 2002
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – University of Virginia head softball coach Cheryl Sprangel has announced that three players have committed to attend Virginia and play softball for the Cavaliers. The three student-athletes who will enroll at Virginia for the 2002-03 academic year are: pitcher Erin Horn (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon), shortstop/catcher/third-base Sara Larquier (Burbank, Calif./John Burroughs), and outfielder Jessica Taylor (Philadelphia, Penn./Germantown Academy).
Horn is a 5’6″ pitcher from Tallahassee, Florida. In 2001, she was an All-Big Bend performer for Leon High School and a Wendy’s High School Heisman National nominee. She was a member of the USFA World Series 16U “A” Division All-Tournament team, the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Class 5A Player of the Year as well as the All-Big Bend Player of the Year. She led Leon to the FHSAA Class 5A District Championship in 2001 as a captain and garnered the MVP award for her efforts. Horn finished the 2001 season at Leon with a 23-3 pitching record with 363 strikeouts, 18 shutouts, six no-hitters, one perfect game, and a 0.15 ERA. She also posted excellent numbers with the Tallahassee Merchants in the summer of 2001, finishing with a record of 29-6, 442 strikeouts, 25 shutouts, six no-hitters, one perfect game, and an ERA of 0.32. Horn maintains a 4.0 GPA (unweighted) and a 4.65 (weighted) GPA, taking all Honors and AP courses. She is second in her class of 421 students.
“Erin has good velocity and a variety of pitches. Her biggest assets are her composure on the mound and her ability to come into a game in a tight situation and pitch her way out of it. Erin has the potential to continue to improve and develop once she gets in a strong Division I program,” stated Sprangel.
Sara Larquier is a 5’7″ shortstop/catcher/thirdbaseman from Burbank, California. As a junior, she was a first-team All-Foothill League, All-Area, and Scholar Athlete selection. Larquier is an accomplished athlete in basketball and volleyball as well. She broke the basketball school record for steals in a season and is a two-time honorable mention All-League pick. She was a member of the All-League second-team in volleyball as well as a Scholar Athlete from 1998-2001. Larquier is a member of the California Scholarship Federation and the Associated Student Body Athletic Commissioner.
“The fact that Sara can play several positions – catcher, third base, and shortstop – and play them all equally well was the first thing that caught my attention. She has quick reactions and a strong arm and the ability to hit the ball really well. She will add great depth to our team,” Sprangel said.
Jessica Taylor is a 5’4″ outfielder hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was accepted to the University of Virginia early decision in the fall of 2001. She is a three-time first-team All-League selection and was named MVP of Germantown Academy’s softball team as a junior. The two-time captain was an honorable mention All-Region (Montgomery County) selection in 2001. Taylor has been a member of the Pegasus 14U and New Jersey Outlaws teams. She received commendations in Spanish, Science, English, and Mathematics in 2001 and was also named to the Montgomery County Honors Orchestra for the second-straight year.
“I believe Jessica has a lot of untapped raw talent. She is very quick and strong and gets a great jump on the ball. Once Jessica gets into our program, I think she will constantly improve with experience and coaching,” commented Sprangel.
Virginia finished the 2001 season with a 52-17 overall record and a 4-4 mark in the ACC.