Hawkeyes Add Four Iowans To Roster

Nov. 11, 2005

IOWA CITY – University of Iowa Head Softball Coach Gayle Blevins has announced that Lindsey Digmann, Katie Brown, Taylor Leichsenring and Amanda Zust have signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University of Iowa. All four recruits are Iowa natives.

Digmann is an infielder from Marion and attends Linn-Mar High School. She is a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Athlete of the Year and an elite all state selection. Digmann is also a three-time all-conference and all-metro honoree. Along with softball, Digmann is a standout in track and was named Missouri Valley Conference Track Athlete of the Year in 2005. She is a three-time state track qualifier and a two-time Drake Relays participant. Digmann also has a 3.67 GPA and has been an honor roll student throughout her high school career.

“Lindsey is an impressive athlete and a great addition to the program,” Blevins said. “She has tremendous speed and plays all-out all the time. She brings great athleticism with a fiery determination. Slap hitting was one of our top priorities in recruiting this year and Lindsey is the prototype player. We are thrilled to have her at Iowa.”

Brown, a pitcher from Spirit Lake, is a two-time elite all-state selection and was the 2004 Class 3A Player and Pitcher of the Year. She led Spirit Lake High School to a state championship in 2004 and a state runner-up finish in 2005. Brown, who was featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd,” has compiled 133 career wins and 1,335 strikeouts. Brown is also solid at the plate, recording 26 home runs and 201 RBI through three seasons. She is also a two-time state champion in the discus and an all-state honoree in basketball.

“Katie is an excellent addition to the Hawkeye softball program,” Blevins said. She is a tremendous competitor and brings a great track record of success both in the classroom and on the field. Not only does Katie lead her team on the mound, she is also a big weapon at the plate. Katie has always wanted to be a Hawkeye and now she will be living her dream.”

Leichsenring, an outfielder from Amana, attends Clear Creek-Amana High School. She is a three-time all-state selection, including an elite team honor in 2005. Leichsenring was also named first team all-conference, all-district and all-area in 2005 after recording a .485 batting average and 52 stolen bases. She is a four-sport letterwinner, earning all-conference accolades in volleyball and is a member of two state-record relay teams in track. She also set the state-record in the long jump in 2003.

“Taylor has tremendous speed and has made good progress as a slap hitter,” Blevins said. “She is the third athlete from coach Jim White’s Clear Creek-Amana team to wear the Black and Gold and we are thrilled she chose Iowa. She has played in a highly successful program and understands the commitment necessary to be a part of a winning team, which is a big plus. We are pleased to welcome her to our Hawkeye family.”

Zust is a pitcher from Des Moines and attends Des Moines East High School. She was a first team all-state selection in 2005 and is a two time all-Metro honoree. Zust also excels in the classroom and earned both all-conference and all-state academic honors. She compiled a 23-3 record as a junior inside the circle.

“Amanda is a great pitcher with excellent potential for our program,” Blevins said. “Her high school coach, Bob Ligouri, has been instrumental in Amanda’s development and we are pleased to have another one of his student-athletes in the Hawkeye program. She was our first commitment this fall and she will be a part of a great freshmen class.”