First-year Southeast Missouri State softball coach Redburn signs his first recruits

Southeast Missouri State first-year coach Mark Redburn's first recruiting class was announced Tuesday.

Two junior college players and three high school seniors signed to play for the Redhawks during the early signing period.

Harli Wheeler, Danielle Turner, Brittany Stevens, Sarah Messex and Haley Thogmartin all signed National Letter of Intent to play at Southeast.

Wheeler, an infielder, will join the team from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. She batted .345 and scored 40 runs as a freshman last season.

Turner will transfer from Heartland Community College. She played in only 30 games last season due to a broken wrist but batted .359 with six doubles and four homers.

Brittany Stevens was a four-time all-conference and two-time all state shortstop at Lindbergh High School in St. Louis. She batted .455, drove in 28 runs and scored 22 runs last season.

Messex is a catcher and outfielder from Sullivan High School in Sullivan, Missouri. She earned all-state honors after a senior campaign in which she hit .470 with seven home runs, seven doubles and three triples and a team-leading 32 RBIs.

The lone pitcher of the signing class is Thogmartin, who played at Kirkwood High School in St. Louis. She averaged 11 strikeouts per game as a senior and recorded 193 on the season. She was a two-time first-team all-conference and all-district selection.

"I'm really happy with this group of players that will be coming in next year to represent our first recruiting class," Redburn said in a press release. "This is a very athletic group that gives us depth in a lot of the key positions. They will make us better, forcing our players to compete each and every day, as well as give us options for players in more than one position. Our two junior college transfers will also add some age and experience since we are losing six players to graduation at the end of this season."