DURHAM COACH HEADS OUT WEST ONCE AGAIN FOR LATEST RECRUIT

OSHAWA, Ont. – Jim Nemish, head coach of the Durham College women's fastball team, is proud to announce that Sydney Kozuska of St. Albert, Alta., has committed to join the Lords for the 2012 season.

"We are very happy and excited that Sydney has made Durham her choice," said Nemish. "She is an outstanding catcher from the Edmonton City Hornets Midget Fastball program with excellent skills behind the plate. As a young catcher, she blocks the ball well and sets up well behind the plate to give her pitcher a great target to throw to. Sydney has a strong accurate throwing arm to all bases for throwing out runners. She can also play third base and the outfield so her versatility will be a huge bonus for us."

Kozuska will join Janna Hagan and Kayla Worotniak, who are also from Alberta. This past season, Hagan was named the OCAA Player of the Year and was the league's top hitter while Worotniak had a .474 batting average during her freshman season.

Playing last year with the River City Hornets in the Midget A U18 league, Kozuska got to attend the 2011 Canadian National Championship as well as the provincials where her team finished in fourth place.

She also played a year with the Alberta Warriors, where her team finished in sixth place at the Western Canadian Championship and she earned game MVP honours.

"Sydney and her mother visited Durham this past November for our Open House and met with coaches, players and faculty to decide if Durham was a place for her," said Nemish. "After their trip, they said that everything was first class and Durham was more than they expected."

Being a switch hitter and a player who can start at multiple positions, Kozuska gives Nemish a number of options for his line-up.

"The great asset that Sydney has is she is a switch hitter with line drive power," said Nemish. "We are very happy to have her in our program to give us depth behind the plate and in the field. Sydney brings dedication a strong work ethic and an overall skilled player to our team with many achievements and tournament MVP awards."

The Lords have won back-to-back OCAA championships and Canadian Intercollegiate Women's Fastpitch National Championship bronze medals.

Source: Durham College