William Jewell head softball coach
Dustin Combs has announced the signing of five players to National Letters of Intent for the 2022 season. Sydney Cure, Abby Harder, Ella Hoffman, Jace Laws and Sydney Parra will come to The Hill from three Midwest states beginning in the fall of 2021.
"We are very excited about the 2021 class," said Combs. "We filled some immediate needs with not only really good players but more importantly really good young ladies who are great fit for William Jewell College and our program. Coach (Matt) Jackson deserves a lot of credit for his role as our recruiting coordinator."
Sydney Cure
Lee's Summit, Mo.
Lee's Summit North High School • Select Fastpitch
Catcher/Third Base
Cure will come to the Cardinals from nearby Lee's Summit North where she played under coach John Gage. A three-time All-Conference honoree, she hit .389 as a senior with 12 doubles, four home runs and 28 RBI. She was also a two-time All-District selection and earned a Second Team All-Region nod in her final season for the Broncos. Also excellent in the classroom, she was a 2018 Academic All-State pick and has earned three academic letters. The daughter of Kyle and Cassie Cure, she plans to major in biology.
"Sydney is a true competitor and comes from both a winning high school and travel ball organization. She will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact with her offensive ability. She has a plus power offensively and is solid defensively behind the plate and at third base." - Dustin Combs, Head Softball Coach
Abby Harder
Nevada, Mo.
Nevada High School • Demarini Aces
Middle Infield
A four-year starter for Nevada High School, Harder enjoyed a standout career, leading her team to back-to-back district championships. During her career she was a two-time First Team All-Conference and All-District selection and earned Second Team All-Region honors in 2019. Additionally, she was the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year and served as a team captain as a senior. In 2017, Harder pitched the the first perfect game in school history against Aurora. Off the field, she is a member of the Tiger's basketball team, having won two district titles, as well as National Honor Society. A three-time Academic All-State selection in softball, she is ranked No. 1 in her senior class. The daughter of Matthew and Alyson Harder, she plans to pursue a degree in political science.
"Abby is a very athletic, versatile infielder with great range. She will compete at a high level right away with the ability to play multiple defensive positions. Offensively, she finds a way on base and also has gap-to-gap power." - Dustin Combs, Head Softball Coach
Ella Hoffman
Orland Park, Ill.
Carl Sandburg High School • New Lenox Lightning
Pitcher/Utility
Hoffman will come to Jewell from Illinois and will be the first Cardinal from the Prairie State since All-American Rachel Hayden '14 donned the red and black. Hoffman has been a two-time Academic Scholar for the Eagles of Carl Sandburg High School. She is the daughter of Bob and Lisa Hoffman.
"Ella will add depth to the pitching staff and will provide a plus power bat to the line up. She is versatile defensively which allows us options to utilize her offensively." - Dustin Combs, Head Softball Coach
Jace Laws
Warrensburg, Mo.
Warrensburg High School • KC Zephyrs Craig
Utility
Laws comes to the Cardinals from Warrensburg High School, where she played under coach Ali Jo Rogers. A four-year starter, she was a four-time All-District and two-time All-Conference selection. As a senior she hit .460 from the leadoff position with 10 RBI and 12 stolen bases. Off the field, she is ranked in the top-10% of her senior class, is a four-time Academic All-Conference honoree and has already earned three academic letters. She plans to pursue a degree in nursing and is the daughter of Casey and Carrie Laws.
"Jace is a true utility player with really good athleticism and will compete both in the infield and the outfield. She's strong offensively and will hit for average with potential to be a consistent gap-to-gap power threat." - Dustin Combs, Head Softball Coach
Sydney Parra
Seward, Neb.
Seward High School • Nebraska Gold 18U
Pitcher/First Base
A four-year standout at Seward High School, Parra will leave the Bluejay program as the record holder for wins in a season by a pitcher. During her career, she has also earned three All-Conference honors and two All-State selections, while leading her team to one conference and two district titles. As a freshman, she also helped the Bluejays to a second place finish at the Class B state tournament. The daughter of Andrew and Tonya Parra, she plans to major in psychological sciences.
"Sydney is a work horse in the circle that competes at a high level. She will provide immediate depth to our pitching staff and the corner infield positions. Offensively, she has great power and will hit for average." - Dustin Combs, Head Softball Coach
