LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV Softball has officially signed four new members to its 2017 class, announced by head coach Lisa Dodd on Thursday. The Rebels will welcome Cara Beatty, Samantha Diaz, Devynn Marshall and Emma Vesely next fall with all four signing their national letters of intent this week. They will be eligible to compete starting in the spring 2018 season.

"This class of recruits is exceptional and we are so excited to have them as part of our Rebel Family," said Dodd. "They are tremendous athletes, fast, strong, and smart, and each of them also excels in the classroom. They will add great depth to the line up, adding some pitching, and a great deal of skill and utility in the infield, but biggest of all is the damage they will do at the plate. The sky is the limit for these players and there is no doubt in my mind that they will become great Rebels."

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Beatty attends West Career and Technical Academy, but plays softball at Palo Verde High School due to the academy not offering varsity sports. The right-hander is a three-year varsity letterwinner, playing outfield and third base for the Panthers. Palo Verde won the state championship during Beatty's freshman campaign in 2014 and was the state runner up in her sophomore year in 2015. During her most recent campaign in spring 2016, Beatty was named to the Nevada Preps All-State First Team and the All-Sunset Region First Team. She also plays third base and outfield for her club team, the Lil' Rebels RC, who has been a consistent top-20 finisher at Premier Girls Fastpitch (PGF) Nationals. Beatty plans on majoring in pre-professional biology at UNLV.

Diaz will come to Las Vegas from California, where she plays shortstop and third base for Rancho Cucamonga High School. The three-year starter garnered Rookie of the Year and All-League honors in California's Baseline League as a freshman in 2014. The right-hander earned back-to-back All-League honors and was named the team's best defensive player in both her sophomore and juniors campaigns in 2015 and 2016, respectively. As a junior in 2016, Diaz also served as a team captain and will again be in that role during her senior season this spring. Diaz plays shortstop and third base for her club team, So Cal Athletics, who has earned top-five finishes at PGF Nationals each of the last two years. Diaz is undecided on her college major at UNLV.

Marshall is currently a senior at Shadow Ridge High School just outside of Phoenix, Ariz., where she pitches and plays third base for the Stallions.The right-hander has played varsity since she was a freshman, handling pitching duties in her first year and adding third base to her resume the last two seasons, helping the Mustangs to two-consecutive 20-win seasons. Marshall earned All-Section Second Team honors in each of her first two seasons and garnered First Team All-Section and All-State honors as a junior in 2016. Marshall played third base for the Suncats club team out of Tucson, Ariz. in 2013 and 2015, and most recently played for the Phoenix-based club team, the Hotshots, who earned third place at PGF Platinum Nationals in 2016. Marshall plans on majoring in Criminal Justice at UNLV.

A right-handed pitcher from Phoenix, Vesely is a three-year varsity softball letterwinner for Sandra Day O'Connor High School. As freshman in 2014, Vesely was named to the Division I All-Section First Team after her team finished fourth in state. During her sophomore campaign in 2015, she pitched a four-hit shutout in the state championship game to help the Eagles capture the Division I High School Softball Championship. Last spring, Vesley helped the team to it's second fourth-place state finish and third-straight top-five finish in her three years on varsity. For the last two years, Vesely has played her club ball for the Suncats out of Oro Valley, Ariz., who finished in the top-eight at PGF Nationals this past year. Vesely plans on pursuing degrees in kinesiology and nursing.

The current Rebels kick off their 2017 campaign on February 10th as they host the Sportco Kick Off Classic at Eller Media Stadium.

-UNLV-