Nov. 17, 2008

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Two players from California and a third from Indiana will join the Boilermaker softball team for the 2010 season. Maia Monchek (San Mateo, Calif.), Julia Rice (Oak Park, Calif.) and Erika Petruzzi (Carmel, Ind.) have signed national letters of intent to play for Purdue, head coach Kim Maher announced Monday.

"The key thing about all of our incoming student-athletes is their desire to be a Boilermaker," Maher said. "They all know the hard work required, the expectations and the vision of our softball program. They know what they are getting into academically and athletically and have embraced the challenge before them, which will only make the rewards greater in the end."

Monchek, an outfielder from Notre Dame High School in Belmont, Calif., is a three-time all-West Coast Athletic League selection. As a sophomore, the two-time All-San Mateo County honoree led her team to the Central Coast Sectional title as a sophomore and the WCAL league championship as a junior under coaches Ray McDonald and Celina Castillo. The daughter of Pete and Karin Monchek also has found success in the classroom, being named to the Principal's List each semester and garnering the Notre Dame Scholar Athlete award all three years. Monchek plays summer ball for the San Jose Sting Gold, which has posted four top 10 finishes at ASA Nationals.

"Maia is a lefty with very good bat control," Maher said. "She has the ability to lay down a drag bunt and drive the ball deep into the gaps. Maia is very disciplined at the plate. She works the count and has ability to foul off pitches until she gets the one she wants to drive. Maia is motivated, has a very good work ethic and has played on highly competitive ASA teams which have challenged for an ASA national championship every year. She will be a great asset to the Purdue softball team on the field and in the classroom."

Rice, a right-handed pitcher from Oak Park High School, is a three-time Daily News All-Area and Tri-Valley League selection. The three-time team MVP led Oak Park to league titles her freshman and junior seasons under coach Roger Newell. Rice earned second team all-state honors as a junior, while also garnering first team all-county accolades from the Ventura County Star and California Interscholarstic Federation Division III southern section team honors her sophomore and junior years. With her senior season still ahead, the daughter of Jonathan and Laura Rice already owns the Oak Park career records for perfect games (2), shutouts (30), no hitters (3), one hitters (12) and strikeouts (659) and has set single-season marks in five categories. In three seasons, Rice has posted a 40-9 record and allowed just 28 earned runs in 339 innings in the circle. On the summer ball scene, she helped the Worth Firecrackers to a second place finish at the ASA Gold 18-under Nationals in 2006.

"Julia has a great presence on the mound and has the ablity to shut down offenses with her repertoire of pitches," Maher said. "She throws with good velocity and movement. Julia's potential is unlimited. I am excited to have Julia as a Boilermaker and look forward to seeing her develop over the next four years."

Petruzzi, a pitcher/outfielder, is a five-time letterwinner in softball and volleyball and Carmel High School. The second team all-state honoree led her team to the 2008 MIC Conference title as a junior, while posting a .442 average at the plate and registering a 15-4 mark in the circle. Petruzzi garnered All-MIC honors and All-Indy Star North accolades both her sophomore and junior seasons under coach Emily Good. The three-year honor roll member and member of the student athletic board is the cousin of current Purdue baseball player Kyle Cook. The daughter of Dean and Karee Petruzzi plays summer ball for Team Indiana Gold.

"Erika is a true lefty hitter who will surprise people with the amount of power she is able to generate at the plate for her size," Maher said. "She is a very versatile southpaw, who will provide an option for us in the pitching circle, the outfield and maybe even at first base. What makes Petruzzi so special is her to desire to be a Boilermaker and her willingness to do whatever it takes to get this softball team to the next level."

The 2009 Boilermakers begin the season at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament in Westwood, Calif., on Feb. 6.

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