Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2017-18 | Hawk Talk Monthly — November
IOWA CITY, Iowa — DoniRae Mayhew has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the University of Iowa softball team, UI head coach Marla Looper announced Wednesday.
DoniRae Mayhew | 5’9 | Corner/Pitcher
Bettendorf, Iowa
Kirkwood CC | Bettendorf High School
- Played one season at Kirkwood Community College under Joe Yegge and former UI softball standout Megan Blank.
- Played in 61 games and had 81 hits, 65 runs, 11 doubles, a triple, 18 home runs, 83 RBI, a .440 batting average, a .521 on-base percentage, and a .804 slugging percentage.
- Registered 40 strikeouts in 38.1 innings, a 2.19 ERA, and a 5-0 record with the Kirkwood Eagles.
- Earned first team all-region after helping lead Kirkwood to a 55-6 record, a second place conference finish and a national tournament berth.
- Prior to Kirkwood, played five years at Bettendorf High school under Jay Hatch.
- Had 47 RBI, eight home runs, a .438 batting average, threw 65 strikeouts, and had a 2.70 ERA as a freshman.
- Had 17 home runs, 64 RBI, a .569 batting average, and threw 70 strikeouts as a sophomore.
- Hit 10 home runs, had 35 RBI, recorded a .462 batting average, threw 126 strikeouts, and had a 2.65 ERA to earn Iowa Gatorade Softball Player of the Year as a junior.
- Hit 12 home runs, had 55 RBI, registered a .522 batting average, threw 104 strikeouts, and had a 1.37 ERA as a senior.
- Voted Best Offensive Player three times and named MVP as a junior by teammates.
- Tied for third place with 59 career home runs on Iowa’s high school list.
- Five-time all-state selection, four-time all-conference and all-metro honoree, three-time all-5E IGCA district selection, and named conference player of the year as a senior.
- Played club for Iowa Premier in Des Moines in 2014 and 2015.
HEAR FROM COACH LOOPER
“We saw DoniRae when she was at Bettendorf High School. She had a good high school career and had a lot of power. At the time, she wasn’t quite the well-rounded player that she has become today. I think two years at the community college level allowed her to develop as an overall player. She has made a commitment since high school to become a better softball player. We talk about being more than one-dimensional, and I think she has worked hard to become a multi-dimensional player.
“DoniRae is an Iowa kid, and it’s always nice to have an Iowa kid become a Hawkeye. She’s proud to represent the state of Iowa. That was one big draw for her in coming here. The dream of becoming a Hawkeye is actually coming to fruition. She has the opportunity to represent her state, and we are really excited about that as well.”
WHY IOWA?
“I chose Iowa because when I first left campus after my visit, I knew it was the place I wanted to go. It instantly felt like home to me, and I knew that if I went anywhere else, I wouldn’t be as happy as I would be at Iowa. I fell in love with the coaches, the girls, and how the student-athletes are treated. I knew it was a program I wanted to be part of. The academics for my major are outstanding at Iowa as well. Plus, it is close to home which is a key factor because I am a family person and I’m very close with my parents. Iowa was the school I felt like was the best fit for me.”