July 11, 2005

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The inaugural Lady Tiger softball team grew by one with the signing of Hixson, Tennessee's Cara Stiles it was announced by head coach Windy Thees, Monday. Stiles, a 5-3 centerfielder, will join the Lady Tigers in their initial season of softball after spending the past two seasons at Chattanooga State Technical College, where she was a two-year starter.

A Third Team NJCAA All-American, Stiles led the Lady Tigers at Chattanooga State with a .500 batting average and a .523 on-base percentage. She was second on the team with 56 runs scored this past season and led the team with 81 hits in 166 plate appearances, drawing just six walks. A starter in all 51 games in 2005, Stiles also added a .958 fielding percentage while helping Chattanooga State to a 43-8 record and a 12th consecutive Region VII Championship. A speedster on the base paths, Stiles was 44-45 in stolen bases, ranking fifth in the nation.

A two-time All-Eastern Division honoree, Stiles came to Chattanooga State following a stellar prep career at Soddy Daisy High School. At Soddy Daisy, under head coach Clifford Kirk, Stiles was a four-time letterwinner in volleyball and a three-time letterwinner in softball. She helped her 2003 prep team to a State Softball Championship and a 41-6 record. A three-time all-state honoree in softball, Stiles was also a second team all-state honoree in volleyball. In the 2003 state softball championships played in Memphis, Stiles was 9-for-13 during the state tournament. Her senior prep season, she hit .397 with 37 steals and 50 runs scored after posting a .513 on-base percentage her junior season.

Stiles is the daughter of Mike and Cindy Stiles of Hixson.

2006 Lady Tiger Softball Roster

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Cl.-Exp.	Hometown/High/Last School
Leila Dolfo	P/U	5-6	Fr.-HS	Chula Vista, Calif./Eastlake HS
Brittany Gooch	OF	5-4	Fr.-HS	Nashville, Tenn./Wilson Central
Tori Gross	2B	5-4	Fr.-HS	Ramona, Calif./Ramona HS
Kimberly Hayden	C	5-7	Fr.-HS	El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla HS
Leandra Hines	OF	5-5	Fr.-HS	McDonough, Ga./Union Grove HS
Nicki Johnson	P	5-7	Jr.-JC	Tucson, Ariz./Pima CC
Jenna Kubesch	P/1B	5-10	Jr.-TR	Weimar, Texas/Georgia College& St.
Laura Mahoney	2B/SS	5-3	Fr.-HS	Collierville, Tenn./Collierville HS
Bridgette McNulty	1B/3B	6-0	Jr.-JC	Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS/Central Arizona CC
Melissa Nance	P/3B	6-1	So.-HS	Frankfort, Ind./Clinton Prairie HS
Lindsey Pridgen	SS	5-8	Jr.-JC	Las Vegas, Nev./ Silverado HS/UTEP/Pima CC
Kara Ross	C/1B	5-9	Jr.-JC	Jacksonville, Fla./Olathe East HS/Central Arizona CC
Lyndsey Sterling	P	5-7	Fr.-HS	Atoka, Tenn./Tipton-Rosemark Academy
Cara Stiles	OF	5-3	Jr.-JC	Hixson, Tenn./Chattanooga State