BYU adds six recruits to 2018 roster

PROVO, Utah – BYU softball head coach Gordon Eakin announced the 2017-18 signing class today with six players from Utah, Idaho, California, Washington and Iowa.

"We are very excited about our recruiting class," Eakin said. "Each of these players bring the talent and character to make our program stronger."

Breah Ava (INF), Morgan Bevell (C/INF), Marissa Chavez (INF), Bridget Fleener (C/INF), Erin Miklus (INF) and Autumn Moffat (P/INF) have all signed National Letters of Intent in the November signing period.

Breah Ava

5-7 | 1B/3B | R/R | West HS | Salt Lake City, Utah

Personal

• Parents are Kirk and Ligi Ava
• Has one brother and two sisters
• Older brother plays football at William Penn in Iowa
• Aunt played basketball at Oregon State, cousin plays football at Southern Virginia and another cousin plays volleyball at Arizona
• She hopes to work in dermatology, specializing in pediatrics
   

High School

• In the 2016 season, she was named Region 2 MVP along with First Team All-Region, First Team All-State and Deseret News Ms. Softball 5A
• Named First Team All-State and All-Region in 2015
• As a freshman, named team MVP, First Team All-Region and Second Team All-State
• As a junior, she had a .626 batting average, totaling 57 hits, 53 RBI, 12 doubles and 15 home runs
   

Club

• Finished second at 18G PGF Nationals with the California Cruisers 2016

Coach Eakin on Ava: "Breah is a player that not only hits for average, but has great power. She is a game changer offensively,. She will play third and first base for us and will hit in the middle of a powerful future offensive lineup. We look for big things out of her through her Cougar career. She has a quiet determination that I really like. I'll tell you now, look out for Breah!"

Morgan Bevell

5-10 | C/INF | R/R | Issaquah HS | Issaquah, Wash.

Personal

• Parents are Tammy and Darrell Bevell
• Her dad is the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks
• Has two sisters, Kylee and Hailey
• Hopes to pursue a degree in the medical field
   

High School

• Four-year starter on varsity
• Team captain and overall MVP in 2016
• Named offensive MVP in 2015
• All-King Co 4A All-Conference Second Team in 2014 and First Team in 2015 and 2016
• In 2016, she averaged .472 from the plate, tallying 25 hits, 11 runs, 12 RBI, four home runs and two doubles
• In the 2015 season, she had a .517 batting average with 15 hits, 12 RBI, five runs, three doubles and five home runs
• Three-year scholar athlete
   

Club

• Played for NW Bullets Zacher (16U), USA Explosion Moffat (18 gold) and currently plays for the California Cruisers Sievers (18 gold)

Coach Eakin on Bevell: "As a catcher, Morgan will add strength and stability to our battery. She is a very intelligent player and will make our pitchers better every day. She has a strong arm and is a very hard worker. Morgan is a student of the game, and I believe she will become a great team leader; I look for and rely on that leadership from our catchers. I believe Morgan has all the necessary components to be a great catcher in our program."

Marissa Chavez

5-6 | SS/INF | R/R | Charter Oak HS | Covina, Calif.

Personal

• Parents are Juan and Tami Chavez
• Has two sisters
• Older sister Kalle played softball at Biola University
• Plans to study biology
   

High School

• Four-year starter on varisty
• Won the Silver Slugger Award
• San Gabriel Valley All Star Selection for two years in a row
• All-Hacienda League First Team twice, along with First Team All-Area San Gabriel Valley Tribune and All CIF Southern Section Team Division I
• Second Team All-Sierra League, Second Team All-Area San Gabriel Valley Tribune
• In 22 games her junior year, she hit .455 with a .513 on base percentage, 30 hits, 31 RBI, 27 runs and 11 home runs
• For her entire high school career (72 games), she is hitting .392 with a .455 on base percentage, 83 hits, 61 RBI, 67 runs and 14 home runs
   

Club

• Plays for the Orange County Batbusters

Coach Eakin on Chavez: "Marissa has great game instincts. She understands the game so well that I believe she will develop into a coach on the field. For me as a coach, understanding the game is an irreplaceable asset for a middle infielder. Marissa is a great defensive player; she makes all of the routine plays and then makes the difficult plays look easy. She also brings a strong offensive game to our lineup. We anticipate her being an anchor in our middle infield."

Bridget Fleener

5-6 | C/INF | L/R | Camarillo HS | Camarillo, Calif.

Personal

• Parents are Adam and Stephanie Fleener
• Has three brothers and one sister
• Plans to major in exercise science
   

High School

• Four-year starter on varsity
• Named ACHS Offensive Player of the Year in 2014, 2015 and 2016
• Named to Coastal Canyon First Team All-League in 2015 and 2016
• Named to Coastal Canyon First Team All-County in 2016 and Second Team All-County in 2015
• 2014 Pacific View First Team All-League
• As a junior, had a .410 batting average, .495 OBP and .759 slugging percentage, all of which led the team, while totaling 34 hits, eight doubles, seven home runs and 14 RBI
• In her sophomore season, she hit .407 with 33 hits, six home runs and 21 RBI, with a .489 OBP and .716 slugging percentage
   

Club

• Played for Combat Panthers 18U Gold (2013-14), Firecrackers 16U Brashear Black (2014-15) and So Cal Pumas 18U Black (2015-17)
• In 2015 and 2016, took the 18U championship at the USA Preps Nationals
• 18U Open Co-Champions at the 2016 TCS Fireworks

Coach Eakin on Fleener: "Bridget is a very exciting player. She can flat out hit the ball. She will be a crowd favorite with the explosive offense that she will generate. We anticipate her playing defensively behind the plate, at first or at third base. I believe she will be a contributor right out of the chute. Bridget doesn't get rattled and is a player that thrives on the big stage. The bigger the moment, the more determined she gets. Bridget will win us a lot of games!"

Erin Miklus

5-2 | INF | L/R | Southeast Polk HS | Altoona, Iowa

Personal

• Parents are Garry and LuAnn Miklus
• Has three brothers
• Two of her brothers wrestle for Mizzou
• She also has cousins that played softball at Drake, Iowa and Hartburg College
• Plans to study psychology
   

High School

• National Honor Society
• All-Academic Award
• Also lettered in wrestling managing
   

Club

• Plays for the Mac N' Seitz
• Kansas team camp MVP
• Grace Chance Spirit Award winner

Coach Eakin on Miklus: "Erin is an exciting player. She makes things happen both offensively and defensively. She is a left-handed hitter that can bunt, slap and hit it deep. When she has her game clicking, she is impossible to defend. She is a hard-nosed player, and I believe she will be a catalyst for our team. She just finds a way to get the job done. Erin is a player that wants to play in the biggest games and embraces the challenge. I look for big things from Erin; she is a coach's dream and is my kind of player."

Autumn Moffat 

5-7 | P/INF | R/R | Eagle HS | Eagle, Idaho

Personal

• Parents are Chad and Ann Moffat
• Has one sister and two brothers
• Her dad played football at BYU and her brother was a cheerleader at BYU
• Born in Provo
• Wants to study nursing
   

High School

• Two-time state champion pitcher
• Named a Max Preps All-American after leading her team to a Max Preps National Championship in 2016
• Two-time 5A pitcher of the year
• Has a 46-3 record throughout high school, including a perfect 30-0 in her sophomore campaign
• In 2016, she had a .515 batting average with eight home runs and 14 doubles
• All-Academic Southern Idaho Conference (SIC) Team
• Honor role student
   

Club

• Qualified twice for the PGF Premiere National Championship with the Idaho Sliders
• Also qualified once for the PGF Premiere National Championship with USA Explosion
• Currently plays for the California Cruisers Mel 18G

Pitching coach Pete Meredith on Moffatt: "Autumn is a very good athlete; she is a power pitcher that can dominate a game. She has the kind of gritty attitude that is necessary for a Division I pitcher. Autumn is also a very good hitter that we believe could add some offensive pop to our lineup. We are expecting big things from Autumn as a pitcher in our program."

Coach Eakin on Moffat: "Dominant! That is the best word I think describes Autumn's future potential. As she develops in the circle, she could carry this team. She has a very good drop ball and her change up is working better every day. Paige Affleck (former BYU pitcher) had a great drop ball and change, and she took us to the NCAA Super Regional in 2010. I see a lot of Paige in Autumn, which is very exciting."