Sports in Brief

Softball announces three new recruits for next fall

Virginia softball coach Cheryl Sprangel announced

commitments from three high school softball players to attend Virginia in the fall. Pitcher Erin Horn, outfielder

Jessica Taylor and the multi-talented Sara Larquier will join a Cavaliers squad that finished 52-17 last

season.

Horn attends Leon High School in Tallahassee, Fla., where she led her team to their district championship

last season. She finished her junior season with 363 strikeouts, 18 shutouts, six no-hitters, one perfect game and

0.15 ERA. Horn also carries a 4.65 weighted GPA and is ranked second in her class of 421 students.

Taylor hails

from Philadelphia, Penn., and was accepted to Virginia early decision. She was a three-time All-League selection and

last year's MVP.

Sara Larquier plays shortstop, catcher and third base in Burbank, Calif. She was named to the

first team All-Foothill League, All-Area and Scholar Athlete. Larquier has excelled in basketball as well by breaking

her school's record for steals in a season.

Virginia ranked 11th in Sears Cup run

Although the final

rankings will not be completed until the end of the spring season, Virginia has 189 points and is ranked 11th among

Division I schools for the Sears Directors' Cup.

The Sears Cup is given to the best all-around athletic program in

Division I, II, III and the NAIA. To date, Stanford holds the top spot with 521 points. Among ACC schools, North

Carolina sits in second place with 305 points, Maryland is ninth with 196 points, Wake Forest is 16th with 158

points.

- Compiled by Jessica Garrison