BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – With fall practices quickly approaching, the Illinois Wesleyan University softball team's 2021 roster will feature seven new Titans. Joining IWU under fifth-year head coach Tiffany Prager are Sidney Litviak (Metamora, Ill.-Metamora Township), Natalie Grubczak (Medinah, Ill.-Lake Park), Maya Black (Springfield, Ill.-Glenwood), Megan Fontanetta (Arlington Heights, Ill.-Buffalo Grove), Kristina Sherwin (Plainfield, Ill.-St. Francis), Bailey Turner (Normal, Ill.-Normal Community West), and Hope Yeoman (Lafayette, Ind.-William Henry Harrison).
 
"The 2020 recruiting class is an outstanding class where each individual brings a unique skill set that will elevate our level of play on and off the field," Prager shared. "All seven newcomers have a strong history of competing at the most elite levels with their travel and high school programs. Our two transfers also bring an additional dynamic to our team culture from an overall collegiate playing experience standpoint. We are proud they're Titans and eager to see this class learn, grow and develop under the guidance of our 14 returning players, especially our four seniors."
 
Litviak comes to Illinois Wesleyan by way of St. Louis Community College-Meramec, following a decorated career at Metamora Township High School. The Metamora, Ill. native was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starting pitcher for MTHS. Litviak was the team's most valuable player in 2015 and 2018, while she reeled in all-conference and all-state honors throughout her career. At St. Louis C.C.-Meramec, Litviak led her squad to a NJCAA Nationals appearance in 2019.
 
A sophomore transfer from Hofstra, Grubczak hails from Medinah, Ill. and is a graduate of Lake Park High School. In one season with the Pride, she made six appearances, including four starts in the circle. Grubczak posted a 1-1 record and struck out 11 over 15.1 innings of work for the Pride. At Lake Park, she was a four-year letterwinner in softball. She earned Dukane Conference Pitcher of the Year honors in 2019 and was named the Dupage Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2016. An all-area selection, the 6-foot right hander struck out 295 and picked up 31 wins. She also belted a combined 17 homeruns in her final two seasons. Grubczak led Lake Park to Dupage Valley Conference Championships in 2016 and 2019 and an IHSA Regional Championship in 2019. Academically, she was a four-time honor roll awardee in high school and a Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll selection at Hofstra.
 
A native of Springfield, Ill., Black was a four-year letterwinner and starter for Glenwood High School. Playing primarily third base, Black was a three-time All-Central State 8 Conference selection, a two-time all-area pick, and all-state honoree. She graduated as the GHS single-season record holder in RBI and runs. Black fueled Glenwood to three regional championships. Off the diamond, Black also racked up accolades in basketball and volleyball. An Illinois State Scholar and member of the National Honor Society, Black received Glenwood's Kailey Willmarth award for having the highest GPA for a female multi-sport athlete.
 
Fontanetta is from Arlington Heights, Ill., where she was a four-year letterwinner for Buffalo Grove High School. A two-time Mid-Suburban League All-Conference selection, she also served as team captain in her junior and senior seasons. In the classroom, Fontanetta was a member of the National Honor Society and was awarded the All-Academic Senior Honor Award from BGHS. She also lettered in basketball and golf.
 
An outfielder from Plainfield, Ill., Sherwin was a four-year letterwinner and starter at St. Francis High School. Sherwin, who served as team captain in 2020, earned all-state and all-conference honors, while leading her squad to regional and sectional championships. Sherwin fueled St. Francis to a second-place finish in the IHSA tournament in 2019. Academically, she was a member of the National Honor Society.
 
Turner, a local product from Normal, Ill., was a four-year letterwinner for Normal Community West as a pitcher and utility player for the Wildcats. A three-time first team all-conference awardwinner, she was named the Big 12 Conference's Pitcher of the Year in 2019. Turner pitched the Wildcats to a regional championship in 2018 and three straight Big 12 Conference Championships from 2017 to 2019. In the classroom, she was a two-time Big 12 Conference Scholar, earned the Scholastic Achievement Award, and was a member of Rho Kappa, Mu Alpha Theta, and the computer science honor societies.
 
Yeoman comes to IWU from Lafayette, Ind., where she attended William Henry Harris High School. Splitting time between catcher and third base, Yeoman led her team to a sectional championship in 2019. She received the team's sportsmanship award as a junior and was named to the Academic All-NCC squad as a senior. A member of the National Honor Society, Yeoman also participated in the marching band, serving as a section leader for one year.