STEPHENVILLE – The Tarleton TexAnn softball team has a new member after head coach Julie Mata announced the signing of Randi Fentress to a national letter-of-intent.

Fentress, a pitcher from North Richland Hills, will join the 2010-11 squad after graduating from Birdville High School in May.

“Randi is such an intelligent, talented pitcher,” Mata said.  “I was so impressed with her character, personality and abilities, and I had no doubt that she was the pitcher we needed to add to our team.  She is dedicated to our program, her education and the game.”

Fentress was named the 2010 District 6 4A Most Valuable Player after being named the Pitcher of the Year as a junior in 2009. She was a first team all-district selection as both a junior and senior and a second team member as a sophomore. Fentress was named her team's Newcomer of the Year as a freshman while being given the Will to Win Award as a sophomore. The newest TexAnn was also an academic all-district selection all four years in high school, an AP student and a member of the National Honor Society.

“I have made it a point to recruit players who are more of what our Tarleton Softball team was about in the past -- student first, big heart, loyalty, dedication to the game... and Randi is another great example of just that mentality,” Mata said.  “I believe we've just put an exclamation point on one of our best recruiting seasons.”

Fentress was also named to the 2008 Triple Crown Sparkler All-American Team and a 2008 Triple Crown Sparkler All-Star Player. She was selected to the 2007 Colorado Fireworks squad and the 2006 Southern Nationals team.