On Thursday, April 14, 2011, seniors Kelsi Bunda and D’Anna Devine announced their plans to play softball at the collegiate level at a special news conference in the PHS-TV studios of Pennsbury High School. Savanna Grantham – who has committed to play softball at East Stroudsburg University – was unable to attend the news conference but was recognized.
D’Anna Devine – University of South Florida (Softball)
Major: EducationFinal list of colleges: South Florida, Alabama, Auburn
Reasons for choosing South Florida: “The coaching staff – their coach has been following me for a while, so it made it very easy. I knew I really wanted to go there, and they made it easy. Their school is like a family – everyone is so close, and their coaching staff is so awesome. It really won me over.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate softball? “The summer going into my freshman year I played for an 18-and under gold team. Everyone on the team was talking about, ‘I’m getting looks from this college and this college,’ and I was like, ‘I know I really want to do this.’ I knew I didn’t want to quit after high school. I definitely wanted to play at the next level. I had to work really hard. I’m still working hard, and I’m going to have to work hard when I get there.”
Coach Frank McSherry says: “In the major leagues, they talk about five-tool players. D’Anna’s a five-tool player, there’s no doubt about it. She can do everything. She has speed, she has power, she’s a great defensive player, she has a great arm, and she can run. She does everything. She’s a really special kid.
“She hasn’t played catcher since eighth grade, and she has embraced the position for us this year and has tried her best to make herself a better catcher. She has been student of the game. She doesn’t take anything for granted, and she just works hard to make herself better. It will be fun to see what she does down in South Florida.”
Kelsi Bunda – Holy Family University
Major: Nursing
Final list of colleges: Holy Family, Messiah
Reasons for choosing Holy Family: “When I visited there, it was like a family, and I felt like I belonged. It wasn’t too far from home, so my parents could come watch me play. Their nursing program was perfect for what I wanted to major in.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate softball? “When I started playing travel softball and I learned about girls that I played with and their sisters who were going through the process and talking and e-mailing coaches - that’s when I started narrowing down my choices. I started talking to coaches, and then I knew – this is what I wanted to do.”
Coach Frank McSherry says: “Kelsi started in right field as a sophomore and junior, and as good a right field as she played for us, we knew we were going to be young in the outfield, so we just thought having Kelsi in center field kind of quarterbacking the outfield would be smart. She’s got the arm to play center field, and she reads the ball well off the bat, and that’s always important for a centerfielder.
“She’s just a great kid. She just never, ever stops working. She works so hard every single day at practice, and she puts so much on her shoulders – sometimes even a little too much. She’s definitely the heart and soul of this team. She just takes charge.
Savanna Grantham – East Stroudsburg University (Softball)
Major: Early Childhood Education/Special Education
Final list of colleges: East Stroudsburg, Kutztown, West Chester, Seton Hall
Reasons for choosing East Stroudsburg: “I really connected with the coach, and I really liked the school and the campus. It just felt like a good fit.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate softball? “I actually started thinking about it my sophomore year. One of the jayvee coaches talked to me about going to East Stroudsburg and introduced me to the coach. The recruiting process was nerveracking, but I can’t wait.”
Coach Frank McSherry says: “Her (knee) injury put her down for much of the season, but she’s been great. She shows up for practice every day, and she’s been at every game. She’s every bit as much a part of the team now as she was if she was playing first base or the outfield for us.
“Savanna can hit, and she has a great arm. Sometimes teams like to hide an arm at first base, but she has a great arm. She can play the outfield, and we toyed with the idea of playing her in the outfield because we had some question marks in the outfield this year. She could play center field because she has a great arm and she’s so quick. She has such long strides – she can run balls down, and she’s a smart player.”
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