LOS ANGELES - After a successful 2018 season which ended in a Postseason NISC Championship for the Loyola Marymount softball team, head coach Sami Strinz-Ward has added three transfers to the Lions roster for next season. Megan Dedrick, Sam Manti and Desiree Moreno will all be joining the LMU softball program this year.
 
Dedrick comes in as a sophomore shortstop from Everett, Wash. and Everett Community College, where she was named the Softball Athlete of the Year. She was also selected as the NWAC Northern Region MVP and named a First Team NFCA All-American. She attended Everett High School and was a member of the USA Women's National Baseball Team from 2014-16.
 
 "Megan has only played softball for one year, but earned junior college 1st Team All American status," Strinz-Ward said. "She is from a baseball family and has grown up playing baseball. She is very sound fundamentally and has an amazing growth mindset. Megan potentially fills a hole for us at shortstop left by Lindsey Matoi. She wants to learn and be pushed, and will be a great help to our team." 
 
Manti is a junior pitcher from Chula Vista, Calif., who transferred in from the University of Washington. During her time with the Huskies, she went to two Women's College World Series', placing second in 2018 and third in 2017. She attended Eastlake High School, where she was named team captain as a senior and earned various awards such as All-Mesa League, All-CIF San Diego and CIFSD All-Academic Team. As a high school sophomore, she tallied the most strikeouts in CIFSD.
 
 "Sam is a big pick up for up for us, with Women's College World Series experience in both years of her college career," Strinz-Ward said. "She is extremely competitive and takes care of business in the classroom and on the ball field. Her competitive mindset fits in perfectly with our coaches and team. She is a driven athlete and will be a great addition to our pitching staff."
 
Moreno joins the Lions roster in her junior year of college after spending her first two years at Delaware State University. She is a catcher originally from Torrance, Calif., where she attended North Torrance High School. Moreno was named to the 2018 All-MEAC First Team as a sophomore at DSU and was selected to the Second Team in 2017 as a freshman. As a senior at North Torrance High School, she was named the 2016 Pioneer League Co-MVP and selected to the Daily Breeze All-Area First Team and All-CIF First Team while leading her team to the Southern Section CIF Championship. She also earned All-League First Team and Daily Breeze All-Area Second Team honors in 2014 and 2015.
 
 "Desiree is athletic enough to play multiple positions and brings a heavy bat into the lineup," Strinz-Ward said. "She adds experience succeeding at our level and wants to be around like-minded and competitive people like herself. She will definitely fill some of the power and average numbers that we graduated last season. I'm so glad Desiree will have the chance to finish her career close to home."
 
Strinz-Ward and the Lions are looking forward to having Dedrick, Manti and Moreno enhance their talented roster as they push for continued success in the 2019 season.