Elgin High grad Whipple commits to Southern Indiana

Elgin High graduate Kelli Whipple has made a verbal commitment to accept a softball scholarship from NCAA Division II Southern Indiana University in Evansville.

Whipple, who played at Lake Land Community College last season, has left that team for personal reasons and will transfer to Southern Indiana and coach Sue Kunkle's program after the spring semester.

"I really liked (Kunkle)," said Whipple, who also visited Truman State in Missouri. "She really cares about her girls. The campus is nice, the girls were all really nice and I felt comfortable there."

Whipple, a two-time Daily Herald all-area selection in high school, signed at Lake Land to play under legendary coach Denny Throneburg but pitched sparingly last season while mostly playing third base. This past summer, back in the circle, she led the Northern Illinois Lightning women's team with a 10-2 record and 2.01 ERA while also hitting .303 with 14 RBI. She will pitch and play third base again this summer for the Lightning.

At Southern Indiana, Whipple will play for a coach in Kunkle who has a proven track record in her seven years coaching the Screaming Eagles, who are coming off a 31-24-1 season, their third straight 30-win campaign. Southern Indiana plays in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, which includes defending NCAA Division II national champion SIU-Edwardsville. The Screaming Eagles were 13-10-1 and fifth in the league last year.

Kunkle was a pitcher herself in her college days, setting school records at California University of Pennsylvania.

"I'm excited," Whipple said. "I liked Truman State but Evansville is a little bigger town and I'm looking forward to going there."

Whipple, a South Elgin resident, will be the second local player to compete in Evansville next year. Former St. Edward standout Lissa Fehlman is a junior at Evansville University.