BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Head Coach Greg Goff has announced the completion of his 2008 recruiting class by signing five more student-athletes. Chris Bangi, Kevin Nelson, Thomas Valenza, Parker Fleming and Luke Pritchett join 10 other players to form one of the best recruiting classes in Campbell history
With the addition of these five players the final 2008 recruiting class consists of 15 players from nine different states, which brings the total team representation to 13 states. The Camels signed seven Junior College All-Region players and five players who were either junior college or high school All-Americans. Four of the signees were named to their high school all-state teams and one player, Taylor Lewis, was drafted in the 19th round by the Seattle Mariners and signed with them over the summer.
“These five signees finish one of the best recruiting classes that I have ever been associated with,” Goff said. “I feel like we have brought in a lot more athleticism and character that will help to strengthen our program. These are not only excellent players, but they also come from great families. All 14 of our new signees are looking forward to making and immediate impact in our program. We are excited to be starting our second fall with the addition of these guys to our returning players, and we can’t wait to get going.”
Bangi, a utility player from Jacksonville, Fla., comes to Campbell from Marion Military Academy where he earned second team All-Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) honors this past season. While he was at Marion Military he ranked in the top-30 in ten different ACCC categories including stolen bases per game, batting average, slugging percentage, total bases per game and runs per game. Both seasons he played at Marion Military he hit over .400 and had at least 10 doubles each year. He also had a slugging percentage of .622 and .599 and collected 65 RBI’s in his two seasons.
“Chris is a tireless worker that will lead by example while he is in our program,” said Coach Goff. “His versatility will allow us to use him in a variety of roles. He had a great two-year career for head coach Brett Davis at Marion Military, and we look for Chris to continue with that same success here.”
Nelson, who originally signed with Lipscomb University out of high school, played last season at Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tennessee. The infielder helped VSCC become a Region VII Finalist last season. Last year he batted .308 with 20 RBI’s and 41 runs scored. While he was in high school he won back-to-back Florida State Championships in 2004 and 2005 for Nova High School. He was also named offensive player of the year and Florida All-County in 2006.
“We look for Kevin to come in and add some depth and experience to our middle infield,” said Goff. “He is coming off a solid year, where he finished very strong down the stretch at Volunteer State for head coach Mike Crossland. With Kevin’s intensity and desire to play, he should make an immediate impact in our program.”
Valenza, an outfielder from Scottsdale, Ariz., helped lead Horizon High School to back-to-back Arizona 5A Championships in 2007 and 2008. As a senior he batted .420 with four homeruns and 45 runs batted in. He also knocked six triples and stole 13 bases without being thrown out. In 2008 he was named Outstanding Offensive Player and was named to the All-Arizona North All-Star team. He also had the opportunity to play on the Arizona Diamondbacks Fall Scout Team.
“We are very excited about Thomas deciding to come to Campbell, as he has been a tremendous player at one of the best high school programs in Arizona,” Coach Goff said. “Coach Eric Kibler at Horizon High School has really got that program rolling, and Thomas had an outstanding career there. He is a speedy outfielder that should be able to make an impact early in his career.”
Fleming comes to ‘the Creek’ from Lexington, S.C. where he played at Lexington High School. During his senior year the right-handed pitcher went 4-2 and recorded two saves. He also recorded 40 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched. He played for the Palmetto Sand Gnats during the summer.
“Parker is an athletic right-handed pitcher that has an outstanding work-ethic both in and out of the classroom,” said Goff. “We feel that he has the ability to come in and contribute early in his career, while continuing to develop. He comes from a very strong summer program, the Palmetto Sand Gnats coached by Mark Bonnette, which plays some of the toughest competition in the country. We look for that experience to pay off for Parker as he enters our program.”
Pritchett is a right-handed pitcher from Atlantic Beach, Fla. where he played at Oak Hall School. His senior season he went 8-4 with a 2.13 ERA. He also collected seven saves and pitched four complete games. He recorded 88 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched. During the summer he pitched for the Florida Hardballers where he went 2-3 with a 1.91 earned run average. He also recorded 16 saves during the summer and had 82 strikeouts in 68 innings.
“Luke is a big strong right-handed pitcher that has a lot of potential,” Coach Goff said. “I look for him to develop into a strong addition to our pitching staff. He comes from one of the premier private schools in Florida, Oak Hall School in Gainesville, which is coached by Kevin Maris. That experience has made Luke into a tough competitor that absolutely hates to lose.”
Courtesy: GoCamels.com