VERMILLION, S.D.—University of South Dakota head softball coach Robert Wagner is pleased to announce six student-athletes who signed a national letter of intent to compete for the Coyotes. They include: Abi Brown of Bennington, Nebraska; Alexis Lusk of Lubbock, Texas; Autumn Iversen of Wahoo, Nebraska; Emmie Wills of Papillion, Nebraska; McKenna Young of Brodhead, Wisconsin; and Tessa Villotta of Blair, Nebraska.
 
"This class is stacked," said Wagner. "They are extremely athletic. Four can play shortstop and one can pitch. Add in an elite-level catcher and a great center fielder. Plus, they all can hit!
 
"They are versatile and can play a variety of positions. More importantly, they all come from winning programs and know how to compete! That's probably the best way to describe the class – winners who are athletic and love competition. Finally, they are all high academic achievers.
 
"We're excited about signing all of them. They all chose University of South Dakota and that will always be my favorite trait. There is so much potential there to have great careers, make our program better and make a huge impact. The ceiling is high and we are excited for their arrival next fall."
 
A brief description of each signee follows:
 
Abi Brown | Catcher | Bennington, Nebraska | Bennington HS | Nebraska Gold
Brown is a two-time all-state honoree and four-year varsity starter who holds Bennington's single-season and career home run records. She also broke program marks for career hits and RBIs and has a career OPS of 1.294. Brown also competes in track and field for the Badgers and is a member of unified bowling and track and field teams. Academically, she has been named to the President's List all three years of high school, is a member of the National Honor Society and was named the 2021 Outstanding Sophomore by the Exchange Club of Omaha. She intends to study kinesiology and psychology at USD.
 
Alexis Lusk | Infielder | Lubbock, Texas | Monterey HS | Athletic Mercado
Lusk is a two-sport standout at Monterey. In addition to being a two-time all-state honoree on the diamond, Lusk is a two-time all-district performer on the volleyball court. She was named one of the top 30 middle infielder in the state of Texas this past summer after helping Monterey repeat as District 4-5A champions. She hit .484 with 37 RBIs and 36 runs scored. Her career numbers include a 1.699 OPS, 16 home runs and 71 RBIs. She intends to study kinesiology at USD.
 
Autumn Iversen | Infielder | Wahoo, Nebraska | Wahoo HS | Nebraska Gold
Iversen is a two-time all-state performer, a four-time all-conference honoree and Wahoo's team MVP all four years. She has scored more runs than any player in program history and her 47 home runs are also a program high. Iversen is also first in career RBIs with 151. In the circle, she has posted 422 strikeouts, good for third on the Warriors' all-time list. Iversen is a two-sport athlete who also competes on the hardwood. She has earned academic all-state honors in both softball and basketball. She is president of the WHS Future Business Leaders of America, a member of the National Honor Society and participates in Multicultural Club and the WHS Blue Crew. She intends to study business at USD.
 
Emmie Wills | Outfielder | Papillion, Nebraska | Papillion La Vista HS | Nebraska Gold
Wills is an all-state outfielder who hit .533 as a junior and .505 as a senior while competing at the Class A level in Nebraska. She posted a .969 fielding percentage and a .550 on-base percentage while leading the Monarchs to a fourth-place finish at state in 2021 and a third-place finish this past fall. She followed four home runs in 2021 with six more in 2022, all while covering the gaps in center field. Wills is a three-sport athlete for the Monarchs. In addition to softball, she competes in basketball and tennis. Wills is a National Honor Society member who intends to study dental hygiene at USD.
 
McKenna Young | Pitcher/Infielder | Brodhead, Wisconsin | Brodhead HS | Nebraska Gold
Young is a two-time all-conference, all-district and all-state pitcher and shortstop for Brodhead. She's been clocked at 65 miles per hour on the gun and boasts a 77 miles per hour exit velocity with the bat. Young holds program records for home runs in a season and career, and also lowest season ERA and most strikeouts per inning. She has pitched four no-hitters and two perfect games. In addition to softball, Young competes in basketball and is a two-time all-conference volleyball player for the Cardinals. She is a National Honor Society member who intends to study physical therapy and athletic training at USD.
 
Tessa Villotta | Infielder | Blair, Nebraska | Blair HS | Nebraska Gold
Tessa Villotta joins sister Tatum on the Coyote softball team. Tatum was a second-team all-Summit League performer as a freshman this past season. Tessa is a two-time all-state honoree and four-year varsity letterwinner who boasts records of 12 home runs in a season and 10 RBIs in a game. Her numbers also include a .472 average with 35 runs scored. Tessa also competes in track and field and cheer for the Bears. She has been named Blair High School's Spanish Student of the Year. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Medical Careers Club. She intends to study nursing at USD.