New Castle, DE – Wilmington College Softball Coach Gretchen Loose and her staff are pleased to announce their recruiting class for the upcoming 2006 season. 

The Wildcats are adding four new student-athletes to their roster.  Joining the program are transfers, Danielle Leader (Harford County Community College/Edgewood HS/Abingdon, MD), Heather Hogate (Farleigh Dickinson University-Teaneck/Pennsville Memorial HS/Pennsville, NJ), and Jacqueline Simmens (Wesley College/Pennsville Memorial HS/Wilmington, DE). 

Leader, a pitcher from Harford County, Maryland was an All-Conference and All-Region XX selection in 2004.  She joins the Wildcats after fulfilling eligibility requirements in 2005.  Hogate, who finished her freshman year at Division I Farleigh Dickinson, was a former All-Conference, All-Salem County, All Tri-County, and All South Jersey Group 1 infield/outfield selection during her four years at Pennsville.  Simmens joins Wilmington from Wesley College where she was a starter behind the plate and posted a .994 fielding percentage for the Wolverines.  Leader, Hogate, and Simmens all will be entering their sophomore year of eligibility.  

 The Wildcats are also adding one new freshman to their squad as well.  Kelly Schirmer (Sussex Tech HS/Georgetown, DE), earned All-Henlopen Conference and honorable mention All-State honors at first base for the Ravens, and will add depth at the first base, catcher, and designated player positions. 

Wilmington College is an NCAA Division II institution that competes in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.  These new recruits, accompanied with thirteen returning student-athletes, will look to improve a Wilmington squad that finished the 2005 season in fifth place in the CACC with a record of 11-9 and an overall record of 22-23.