Valerie Villela Signs National Letter-of-Intent with Eastern New Mexico University Softball Team

PORTALES, N.M. — Valerie Villela (Vee-YAY-luh), a 5’2” shortstop and second baseman from Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz., has signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play softball at Eastern New Mexico University. Villela, who previously attended Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Ariz., will be a junior at ENMU during the 2007 softball season.

Valerie Villela
5'2", Shortstop/Second Baseman
Phoenix, Arizona
Mesa Community College

Villela was a First Team All-NJCAA Region I selection at shortstop during each of the past two seasons at Mesa Community College. She recently graduated from Mesa CC with an Associate of General Studies degree. She helped the Thunderbirds qualify for the Region I Tournament in NJCAA Division I in 2006 with an overall record of 42-19-1, including 23-9 in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (3rd place out of six teams in Division A).

She also was a standout player at Mountain Pointe HS, where she was an All-Region utility player in 2003 and 2004. She also was an All-Star selection as a junior and a senior, while serving as a team captain both seasons. She was named team MVP during her senior year.

As a senior, she helped Mountain Pointe reach the State Tournament, while providing the team with impressive individual statistics: .486 batting average, .785 slugging percentage, .610 on-base percentage, 52 hits, 32 runs, 26 RBIs, 107 at bats, 13 doubles, five triples and three home runs. She achieved a 17-game hitting streak during the season. Also during her senior year, Villela was a member of the Student Council at MPHS, participated in Key Club, was a member of the Art Club and was a student tutor at Franklin Elementary School in Phoenix.

Villela also competed in cross country as a student-athlete at Mountain Pointe. She qualified for the State Cross Country Meet during the 2003 season.

ENMU Head Coach Armando Quiroz guided the Zias to a 33-21 overall record in 2006, including a 13-11 mark in the Lone Star Conference South Division (5th place). Eastern barely missed qualifying for the LSC Tournament, as the Zias ended the year one game away from the third and final South Division berth. ENMU led the overall LSC with a .360 team batting average, as the Zias broke the previous Eastern record of .328, set in 2005.