Dec. 16, 2016
San Jose, Calif. - San Jose State softball coach Peter Turner announced the names of five student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Friday. Felicia Ceja, Nautika Diaz, Caroline Bowman, Alexis Smith and Rayhona Sagapolu will compete for the Spartans beginning in the 2017-18 school year.
"We brought in such a strong freshman class this year (2016-17) that it allowed us to focus exclusively on needs with this class. We needed help in the outfield, some more power in the line up and a top of the line pitcher. We accomplished all those goals."
Felicia Ceja
5-4, Infielder/Outfielder
Ripon High School (Coach Robert Vernon) in Ripon, Calif.
Trans Valley League (TVL), Sac-Joaquin Section Division 5
Honors
First-Team All-TVL for each of her years in high school
Earned Modesto Bee's All-District honors as a sophomore and a junior
Led lead team to Sac-Joaquin Section titles in 2015 & 2016
2016 Season
22-4,10-0 Sac-Joaquin Section Champions
BA: .485 / SLG: .897 / OBP: .545
Club Team
USA Elite (Coach Vince Bunac)
Second Place finish in the Triple Crown World Series
Back-to-back NSA Championships
Coach Turner's Comments
"Felicia is an outfielder who will immediately be one of our fastest players. She is outstanding defensively and has really good pop in her bat. She is strong, will help bolster our power numbers as well as be a threat on the bases."
Nautika Diaz
5-4, Infielder
Camarillo High School (Coach Nichole Pinedo) in Camarillo, Calif.
Pacific View/Coastal Canyon League, Southern Section Division 2
Honors
Holds a .360 career batting average, hit .450 as a freshman,
Three-time All-Pacific View/Coastal Canyon League honoree
Named Pacific View/Coastal Canyon League Newcomer of the Year as a freshman
2015-16 Season
Team record: 20-7-1, 9-3
BA: .328 / SLG: .500 / OBP: .994
Club Team
Clutch Up Softball (Coach Marcus Rojas)
Finished in fifth at 2016 Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championship
Coach Turner's Comments
"Nautika is a good hitter who makes good contact and can go gap-to-gap. She'll bolster our lineup from the left side. She is a middle infielder who can also play the outfield."
Caroline Bowman
5-11, Pitcher
Skyline High School (Coach Lindsay Sullivan) in Sammamish, Wash.
KingCo 4A - SeaKing District 2
Honors
2015-16 KingCo 4A MVP and First Team All-KingCo
Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Player of the Week (4/27/16)
Three-time Skyline High School Scholar-Athlete
2014 Team MVP
Lettered in basketball in 2015
2015-16 Season
Team captain
Led Skyline High School to Kingco 4A League Championship
Team finished 7th in the state tournament
Club Team
Washington Ladyhawks (Coach Wayne Miller)
Coach Turner's Comments
"Caroline is one of the top pitching prospects in 2017. She has both power and finesse in one package. She is tall and very athletic and we are expecting her to come in and make an impact immediately."
Alexis Smith
Infield/Outfield
Lincoln (Calif.) High School (Coach Donna Tofft)
Pioneer Valley League - Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3
Honors
Two-time All-Pioneer Valley League honoree
2015-16 Season
14-14, 6-4
BA: .400 / OBP: .434
Club Team
Firecrackers-Silvan - Bill Silvan
Coach Turner's Comments
"Alexis is a very heady player. She's mobile and agile and that lends to her being able to play multiple positions. She is very strong defensively and gives us added speed in the field and on the bases."
Rayhona Sagapolu
Infield/Pitcher
Ceres (Calif.) High School (Coach Angela Durossette)
Western Athletic Conference - Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1
Honors
Three-time first team All-Western Athletic Conference selection
Three-time reigning Western Athletic Conference champions
2015-16 Season
23-5, 11-1
BA: .449/ OBP: .491 / RBI: 31
Club Team
Tri-County Smash (Coach Donnie Donaldson)
Coach Turner's Comments
"Rayhona is a power hitter and really good utility player, who plays the corners and throws a little bit. But, right now we are focused on her power numbers and how she can help up in run production."