On Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2023, North Penn seniors Julia Shearer, Brie Wilmot & Annabelle Smink were recognized for committing to compete in collegiate softball.
“The record of this year’s seniors (who missed their freshman season because of the COVID pandemic) was 51-4 in two years,” NP coach Rick Torresani said. “In the 2022 season, they scored 231 runs, which is a school record, while giving up six earned runs the whole season, which is a school record. They hit 27 home runs, which is a school record. They won two SOL Colonial Division championships. In 2021, they won a state title, and in that state title run, they scored 34 runs in four games and didn’t give a run up in the whole state playoffs, and if you got back to districts, it was six straight games without giving up a run. In the state playoffs, that’s a record. It’s never been done before. In 2022, they won a District 1 6A championship, and they made it to the semifinals of the state playoffs, losing to the eventual state champion 2-0. This is something I know they’re extremely proud of to bring back to North Penn.”
Julia Shearer – University of Maryland (Softball)
Major: Considering a science major, possibly chemistry.
Final list of colleges: Maryland, Boston College, Delaware, Lehigh
Reasons for choosing Maryland: “I chose Maryland because I just loved the atmosphere on campus, and it has super competitive academics and athletics.
What was the progression that led you to competing in collegiate softball: “I started the recruiting process freshman year. I just love softball obviously, and I want to play it as long as possible.”
Coach Rick Torresani says: “Julia is a highly motivated and elite level athlete, and in terms of playing softball, Julia has done some amazing things both on the field and in the classroom. Her accomplishments are just unbelievable, and I’m not just talking North Penn – I’m talking District 1 and the state. In 2021 & 22, she was first team all-league. In 22, she was first team all-area, and in 21 & 22, she was first team all-state. She was player of the year in both the Intelligencer and Reporter newspapers. In 2022, she became the second player at North Penn to receive the Gatorade Player of the Year for the State of Pennsylvania. Julia went up against some outstanding competition, including a young lady who is going on to play and pitch for Virginia Tech. Julia was the PA 6A Player of the Year, and she was the PA State Pitcher of the Year – all classifications. She was the first North Penn softball player to receive first team All-American. Her pitching stats include – she was 25-2 last year with an ERA of 0.26. In 2022, she had 299 strikeouts, 25 complete games and 18 shutouts, but that’s not the only thing Julia has done. I think when she gets to Maryland and when she doesn’t pitch, she’s going to play in the outfield because her batting average was .618 with 55 hits – six doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 27 RBIs, 51 runs scored and 27 stolen bases, and she got 101 hits in two years. That’s like scoring a thousand points in basketball in two years, which is never done. That is just an unbelievable stat. I’m so proud of this kid, but not only that, Julia has worked very hard in the gym, with her pitching coach, outside softball, and I think the thing that won her the Gatorade Player of the Year was her academics and what she does for the community. Julia, the University of Maryland is getting such an outstanding player. I’m so proud of you and wish you the best of luck.”
About Julia:
Favorite food: Ice Cream
Favorite movie: The Hunger Games
Favorite music: Everything
Annabelle Smink – Drexel University (Softball)
Major: Nursing
Final list of colleges: Drexel, Wagner
Final list of colleges: “I chose the college because I loved the team atmosphere, and I loved the coaching staff.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve wanted to play in college.”
Coach Rick Torresani says: “I could talk about Annabelle’s stats, I could talk about her earning all-league and all-state, but that is not what Annabelle is about or what she has done for the softball program. I was asked last season if I had an unsung player or an unsung hero on the team. After the season, I really thought long and hard about that – what it means to be an unsung hero. To me, it means the player who doesn’t care about getting the big headlines in the paper or on Twitter or
was asked to be interviewed by a reporter after our games. It’s the player who does all the little things right during the games and practices, the player who hits the ground ball to second base to score the runner from third, the player that makes all the plays without fanfare, the player who makes a great slide around second base to keep the inning going, the player who asks to stay late to get a few ground balls or to take a few extra swings. It’s the player who – without asking me – just goes and talks to a girl to pick her up when she is hurt or made a bad play in the field. It’s the player who gets the team together during a game or practice to refocus and play North Penn softball. Occasionally, this player will make a play where she fakes a throw to second base and tags the runner out at third in the state championship game. Or leaps in the air higher than anyone thought she could to make a great catch.
“Then I thought about my 23 years of coaching at North Penn and started looking at teams I’ve coached and some of the unsung players I’ve had, and I’m just going to name a few – Julie Huebner who is now the head softball coach at a college in Tennessee, Kristi Troster, who is the head coach at Egg Harbor High School, Caitlyn Hague and Kristin Dickel who are teachers and both are high school coaches, Mary Ward and Steph Kulp, who are teachers at North Penn, Becky Christoffers, who is now a nurse, Vicky Tumasz and Erin Maher were great basketball players here at North Penn, but they were also good softball players. Vicky is now a therapist, and Erin is working to become a secret service agent. Kate and Jamie Beer, one a teacher and the other working to become a doctor. They were unsung players for our program, and there’s probably more. Annabelle is one of those unsung players, and when her career at North Penn and Drexel are done, she will be like the girls above that I mentioned. Someone that not only your parents are proud of, but North Penn High School and your high school head coach will be proud of. Thank you, Annabelle.”
About Annabelle:
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite movie: A League of Their Own
Favorite music: Country
Brie Wilmot – Shippensburg University (Softball)
Major: Early Education
Final list of colleges: Shippensburg, Kutztown, West Chester
Reasons for choosing Shippensburg: “I met the coaches in eighth grade, and I kept in contact with them. I just fell in love with the campus and coaches.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in softball at the collegiate level? “From when I started playing softball at nine years old, I knew I wanted to play in college, and it was just meeting the right coaches and looking where I would want to play.”
Coach Rick Torresani says: “Before I talk about her stats and what she’s done for the program, I want to thank North Penn School District for putting that big hill beyond the left field fence because we named it Brie Hill because in batting practice, we just watch her hit them up on the hill and occasionally over the hill. If you’ve ever seen how high that hill is – to be able to do that is unbelievable, and that’s the kind of player that Brie is. Her two-year career (the Class of 2023 lost their freshman season) is right up there with any player that has played for me at North Penn. She is the best power hitter and RBI hitter I’ve ever had at North Penn, and I’ve had a few. In 2020-21 and 21-22, she was first team all-league. In 21 and 22, she was all-area, and in 21 and 22, she was first team all-state. Her stats last year - .469 batting average, 38 hits, 40 RBIs, which is a school record for a season. She also holds the school record in two years for RBIs, which is amazing. She had nine doubles, four home runs, 18 walks and only struck out three times.
“Brie has played first base with 125 total chances and only three errors, which is just outstanding for a first baseman. She is a tremendous power hitter, and our opponents knew that and very rarely pitched to her, so for her to get 40 RBIs in a season is unbelievable. She’s one of our team leaders. She’s a captain this year along with (Julia Shearer and Annabelle Smink), and she is going to be such a player for Shippensburg. Not only does she hit home runs, but she has won quite a few games for us in the playoffs where she gave up her swing and drove the ball to right field, especially in the Hatboro-Horsham game, which we won 1-0 in a district elimination game in 2021. That’s the type of player Brie is. She will give herself up even though I’d like to see more home runs just to make sure we get the run in, just to make sure she moves the runner. When she first started with us, she was an okay first baseman. Her footwork wasn’t so great, but with a lot of hard work – and this kid works extremely hard, she developed into one of the best defensive first basemen in the area and maybe even the state as making first team all-state shows. I’m extremely proud of her. I can’t wait to watch her play at Shippensburg and looking forward to this year. We’re looking for a great year.”
About Brie:
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite movie: The Incredible Hulk
Favorite artist: Glass Animals
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