Cimino signs Denver's Russell to NLI

Bellevue University head softball coach Michala Cimino announced today the fifth signee in the class of 2020-21 with the addition of Lauren Russell (Denver, Colo./Erie HS). Russell will begin her academic and athletic careers at BU beginning in the fall of 2020. 

Russell, the daughter of Kerry Gress and Janet Russell, prepped at Erie High School under coach Vanessa Smith, helping lead her team to the 2019 Colorado state championship in Class 4A. She batted .435 in her senior season with nine home runs, 10 doubles, 47 RBIs and three stolen bases. 

Russell played club softball for coach Scott Balbin at American Freedom. She belted 46 home runs over the last two club seasons.  

An excellent student, Russell earned academic all-conference honors and was named to the Dean's List three semesters and to her school's Honor Roll four quarters. 

Russell joins earlier signees SavannahGunn (Forney, Texas/North Forney HS), Sydni Haugaard (Plattsmouth, Neb./Plattsmouth HS), Amanda Placzek (Omaha, Neb./Omaha Mercy HS), and Alyssa Morbach (Gretna, Neb./Gretna HS) in the Bruins' 2020 recruiting class.

The Bruins are coming off a season in which they posted a 44-20 overall record and registered a 23-5 mark in conference play. After a second-place finish in the regular-season, Bellevue advanced to the NSAA Championship Series and earned an at-large bid to the NAIA National Tournament. For BU, it was their 10th National Tournament Appearance and seventh in just the last 10 seasons.