Montana softball program adds five

The Montana softball program signed five prep athletes to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.

Joining the Grizzlies as freshmen next fall will be Hailey Boer (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Anna Cockhill (Helena, Mont.), Raygun Klippert (Puyallup, Wash.), Grace Lopez (Corona, Calif.) and Sveva Sweeney (Clovis, Calif.).

Boer and Klippert are outfielders, Cockhill and Lopez infielders and Sweeney a catcher/outfielder.

"We had positions in mind with this class and we wanted to add some speed to our lineup. They love to be out on the field and compete. They'll add to our depth and push us in areas that will continue to make us better," said coach Melanie Meuchel.

Boer is a three-time first-team all-conference selection for Harrisburg High, which won a Class AA state title in 2021 and finished runner-up in '22. Boer led Class AA in home runs and batted .426 while leading her team in stolen bases.

"Hailey attended a number of our camps and we were struck by her skillset," said Meuchel. "Really glad she kept coming back. It allowed us to get to know her and how cool of a person she is and how passionate she is about this area.

"Then we had the opportunity to get out and watch her play on her travel team this past summer. She is an outfielder who closes a lot of ground and makes plays."

Cockhill is the daughter of Bill Cockhill, former Griz wide receiver and coach who was the offensive coordinator on Montana's 2001 national championship team. He later coached at Wyoming.

Anna Cockhill has been a three-time all-state shortstop at Capital High and was the Western AA Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.

She batted .500 as a freshman to set a school record, then batted .447 and .471 as a sophomore and junior. Her 123 runs scored are a school record. She has played travel ball with the Washington Ladyhawks.

"Anna has come to camp since we started camp at Montana," said Meuchel, who has been with the program since it began playing in 2015. "We always felt she was a gifted player at a young age. She stands out when she plays. Her passion for the game looks like it grows each year.

"She's excelled in the state of Montana and now she's spread her wings a little bit and played for a club team that travels nationally. She has the potential to have a lot of versatility in our program. I'm excited to keep her home. I'm excited to have her represent the state of Montana and be a Griz."

Cockhill has been teammates with Klippert on the Ladyhawks. Klippert batted .568 last season with 32 stolen bases at Rogers High.

"High-level speed," Meuchel said of Klippert. "She swings out of the left side and can play a deep ball, a short game, then her ability to close ground in the outfield and get out and run. It's high-level speed."

Lopez, who attends Centennial High, is a second baseman and will remind Griz softball fans of Gabby Martinez, who held down that position for the Grizzlies the first four years of the program, from 2015-18.

Martinez, who was twice honorable mention All-Big Sky despite being listed at 4-foot-11, came to Missoula from Redlands, Calif. Lopez is from Corona, 20 miles southwest of Redlands in Southern California.

She is a three-year varsity starter and three times has been named academic all-league. She has made two playoff appearances and was named first-team all-tournament at the 2022 Colorado Sparkler. She plays travel ball for Athletics Mercado.

"She stands out with her game IQ, her game awareness and her ability to make plays," said Meuchel. "She is always in the right place at the right time and then she competes well at the plate.

"She plays for an organization that produces a lot of big recruits, so she's playing high-level competition. Excited she was interested in Montana and excited she'll be a Griz. She is maybe an inch taller than Gabby. She may be small in stature but huge in presence and heart for the game."

Sweeney, a senior at Clovis High, was voted first-team All-Tri-River Athletic Conference as a junior after batting .425 with 27 RBIs and 16 extra-base hits.

"I got a call from a coach in the (Clovis) area who told us about a player who was very skilled, someone we might want to look at," said Meuchel. "We were able to get out and watch her play and she was able to make it to camp two years ago. She really caught our attention.

"She came to camp again this past summer and really stood out in her versatility as a catcher and as an outfielder. We felt like her versatility is something that would really help us. She is a left-handed hitter, so we're adding more lefties to our lineup with this group as well."

What the signees are saying:

Hailey Boer (Sioux Falls, S.D.) – My dad has traveled, worked and hunted in Montana for the last 20 years. He always talked about how beautiful and amazing it is. When I was 10 years old my parents took my brothers and me on a trip to see all of the national parks and I instantly fell in love with Montana. I began my recruiting process knowing I wanted to be a plane ride away from home but yet close enough I could drive home. My travel ball coach verbalized the idea of looking into the University of Montana, touting the level of academics available at the University along with the strong culture being built within the softball program. I attended my first camp and made my first campus visit in December of my junior year and followed that up by watching the team play in the Purple Classic in Arizona with my family. Soon after, I traveled with my dad and travel coach to Montana to see the home atmosphere and watch the Griz play a doubleheader in the spring. Immediately I knew I loved it. I attended the summer prospect camp in July and fell in love with the campus, team and coaches even more. I made my commitment to the University of Montana in August. The communication process with the coaches was thorough and deliberate and I truly enjoyed it. I made my official visit in September and had the chance to meet other recruits, my future teammates and see the University of Montana as a whole. It truly felt like home. I can't wait to get to work and see what the future holds! Go Griz!

Anna Cockhill (Helena, Mont.) – I chose Montana because it's close to home and I love the family feel of the team. Great facilities and a great coaching staff where I can learn and grow from the program. Just felt like it was the right fit for me and I will enjoy my time in Missoula.

Raygun Klippert (Puyallup, Wash.) – The reason I selected the University of Montana is it's a great school. The experience that I felt when I toured the campus was awesome. The community rallies around the school and it's just a great feeling when you're there.

Grace Lopez (Corona, Calif.) – I picked Montana because of the "at home" feeling I had when I visited for the first time. The downtown atmosphere is electric and the people are incredibly friendly. The coaches and girls on the team were so welcoming and made me feel like I was already a part of the team. The social environment of Missoula is so dynamic that every sport is supported. I can't wait to be a part of Griz Nation.

Sveva Sweeney (Clovis, Calif.) – The reason I chose Montana was that it has been my dream school since 7th grade and I've loved it ever since. When I went to softball camp at Montana in 2022, I just fell in love with the environment, the open space of the mountains and the beautiful softball field the University of Montana has to offer. The campus is amazing to be on and be surrounded by, the people in Montana are the sweetest people ever. I've always wanted to live in Montana and build my own ranch and career and to call Montana my home.

University of Montana Athletics

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