By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – Ashley Wolfe, a junior at Green Bay Preble High School, has made her college softball choice.
With several Division I offers, Wolfe recently verbally committed to the Oregon State University (OSU) Beavers in Corvallis.
“It’s where I want to be,” Wolfe said of OSU. “The coaches and the environment of the university made me feel at home. The facilities are also going through a major upgrade.”
Wolfe, a first-team all-conference selection after her sophomore year in the Fox River Classic Conference, said she’s glad the recruiting process is over.
“It was an emotional rollercoaster,” she said. “It was a fun process, but I’m glad the stress relief is gone. Verbally committing is a step up playing the game I love.”
Wolfe won’t sign her National Letter of Intent until Nov. 9, 2022.
She hit .588 at the plate for the 26-2 Hornets in 2021, who lost to the eventual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 state champion Kaukauna Ghosts in a sectional final game.
Wolfe, a shortstop, collected 50 hits, 28 of which went for extra bases.
She walked 16 times, belted eight home runs and collected 31 runs batted in.
OSU plays in the Pacific-12 Conference with Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, Utah and Washington.
“Along with other conferences, I grew up watching the Pac-12,” Wolfe said. “It’s a great conference, and I can’t wait to get playing against top-notch competition.”
Wolfe said she plans to study sports management with the hopes of coaching at the collegiate level someday.
“I could see myself in the marketing side of sports management as well,” she said.
OSU is led by Head Coach Laura Berg, who recently completed her ninth season at the helm.
Berg is a four-time Olympic medalist as a player, winning three golds and one silver as part of Team USA.