IUP softball coach Sue
Snyder has signed three players for the 2008 season, including Brittany
Allman and Dee Eppinger from North Penn High School and Michelle Bivona from
Coatesville High School. All three are currently high school seniors.
“There were a few holes that
we needed to fill after this season since we are losing four starters,” said
Snyder. “All three of the players we have signed will add much needed speed
to our team. With them in the lineup, we expect to increase our offensive
production which will give us the opportunity to win ballgames.”
Allman
(right) returns to the North Penn softball team this season as a co-captain
after sitting out her junior year with a knee injury suffered while playing
on her school’s basketball team. As a sophomore in 2005, she batted .347
with six home runs, 25 RBI and a .407 on-base percentage.
A three-year letterwinner as
an outfield and utility player, Allman was on the All-Intelligencer and
All-Suburban One League first team and won the Silver Slugger award in
2005. She has competed for the Sellersville Belles ASA team the past two
years and was a member of the team that reached nationals last summer.
Off the field, Allman is a
member of the National Honor Society and participates in the Best Buddies
program. The daughter of Jerome Allman and Sheila Hall, she plans on
majoring in athletic training.
“We have high expectations
for Brittany, both offensively and defensively,” said Snyder. “We are
excited for her to join the team next fall. She will be able to make an
immediate impact for our program.”
Eppinger
(left) has started for the North Penn varsity team since her sophomore
season and will be a co-captain along with Allman this spring. As a junior
last year, Eppinger batted .324 with four homer among her 12 extra base hits
and drove in 22 runs. She was on the All-Intelligencer first team and the
All-Suburban One League and all-area squads while receiving a Gold Glove
award.
She was a teammate of
Allman’s on the Sellersville Belles and participated in the ASA national
tournament in 2006. Eppinger, an outfielder and middle infielder, also had
a successful volleyball career at North Penn, earning first team all-league
and team MVP honors her senior season.
Eppinger is a member of the
Future Business Leaders of America and has earned a spot in the National
Honor Society and on the Distinguished Honor Roll. The daughter of Bryan
and Linda Eppinger, she intends to major in secondary math education.
“Dee is a great addition to
our program for next year because of her overall athleticism,” said Sndyer.
“She has the ability to anchor one of the middle infield positions as well
as start in the outfield. One thing is for sure – she should be in the
starting lineup in the spring of 2008.”
Bivona
(right) is entering her fourth season on the Coatesville softball team and
also played volleyball for two years. As a sophomore in 2005, she was on
the all-league and all-area teams as a pitcher and then was all-league and
honorable mention all-area at shortstop a year ago.
She played summer league
softball for the Lady Fireballs for eight years and is now a member of the
East Norriton Heartbreakers. She has competed in numerous PONY, NSA and ASA
national tournaments, and this past summer she was named the MVP of a
Coast-to-Coast USA team that traveled to Australia.
Bivona, the daughter of
Michael and Laura Bivona, is an honor roll student and a member of the
student council. She also volunteers for Dare to Dream and WCGSA Athletic
Clinics. She plans to major in health and physical education.
