Head coach Trisha Ford announced this week the addition of junior outfielder Morgan Howe from Fresno State. Howe played her freshman season under coach Ford at Fresno State and joins Maddi and Kindra Hackbarth (Fresno State) and Jade Gortarez (Texas) as the fourth transfer addition to the Sun Devils' 2018 roster.
Howe, who hails from Poway, Calif., served as the Bulldogs' top reserve hitter during her freshman campaign. She started 12 games at designated hitter, two in right and one at first under coach Ford. Ending the season with a solid .371 batting average (26-for-70), Howe also knocked in 23 RBI and accounted for six doubles and a home run.
Building on a substantial freshman season, Howe worked her way into the Fresno batting order as the Bulldogs' starting right fielder. Howe started in 52 games her sophomore season, a considerable rise from the 15 her previous season. The California-native finished the 2017 season with a colossal .418 batting average, highest on the team and good for 33rd in the NCAA, on her way to netting Mountain West Player of the Week honors along with All-Mountain West First Team and NFCA All-Pacific Region Second Team honors as well. Howe flashed bouts of power after cementing herself in the three hole, knocking seven doubles, three triples and six home runs with a .621 slugging percentage. The transfer ended her final regular season with Fresno on a high note, recording a team-best 12-game hitting streak to cap off a career year.
Prior to joining the Bulldogs, Howe was a four-year letterman at West View High School in San Diego, Calif. The lefty swinger hit over .500 and topped a .600 on-base percentage in her final two seasons for the Wolverines. Howe helped her team to a winning record in all four seasons and to the CIF Open Divisions playoffs in 2015 after a trip to the finals the previous year. Her performance earned her Palomar League Player of the Year and Cal Hi Sports All-State Second team in 2015. Howe was also a two-time member of the First Team All-CIF San Diego section, and earned the varsity Golden Bat Award and Most Outstanding Hitter in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Howe, who hails from Poway, Calif., served as the Bulldogs' top reserve hitter during her freshman campaign. She started 12 games at designated hitter, two in right and one at first under coach Ford. Ending the season with a solid .371 batting average (26-for-70), Howe also knocked in 23 RBI and accounted for six doubles and a home run.
Building on a substantial freshman season, Howe worked her way into the Fresno batting order as the Bulldogs' starting right fielder. Howe started in 52 games her sophomore season, a considerable rise from the 15 her previous season. The California-native finished the 2017 season with a colossal .418 batting average, highest on the team and good for 33rd in the NCAA, on her way to netting Mountain West Player of the Week honors along with All-Mountain West First Team and NFCA All-Pacific Region Second Team honors as well. Howe flashed bouts of power after cementing herself in the three hole, knocking seven doubles, three triples and six home runs with a .621 slugging percentage. The transfer ended her final regular season with Fresno on a high note, recording a team-best 12-game hitting streak to cap off a career year.
Prior to joining the Bulldogs, Howe was a four-year letterman at West View High School in San Diego, Calif. The lefty swinger hit over .500 and topped a .600 on-base percentage in her final two seasons for the Wolverines. Howe helped her team to a winning record in all four seasons and to the CIF Open Divisions playoffs in 2015 after a trip to the finals the previous year. Her performance earned her Palomar League Player of the Year and Cal Hi Sports All-State Second team in 2015. Howe was also a two-time member of the First Team All-CIF San Diego section, and earned the varsity Golden Bat Award and Most Outstanding Hitter in 2013, 2014 and 2015.