Thias Uyema, Taryn Jenkins, Jaime Suppa, Taylor Warne, Epiphany "Baby" Hang, Brooke Wintlend, Sonia Solis
Softball Welcomes Signees for 2022
6/21/2021 9:29:00 AM | Softball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Purdue Fort Wayne softball program announced the signing of seven student-athletes for the 2022 season: Thais Uyema (Lima, Peru / Colegio La Union / Chipola College), Taryn Jenkins (Aldergrove, British Columbia / DW Poppy Secondary / Douglas College / McCook Community College), Jaime Suppa (Chicago, Illinois / Nazareth Academy), Taylor Warne (Aurora, Colorado / Cherokee Trail High School / Menlo College / Lake Land College), Epiphany "Baby" Hang (Grand Haven, Michigan / Grand Haven High School / Ferris State / Oakland Community College), Brooke Wintlend (Roscoe, Illinois / Hononegah High School / Green Bay) and Sonia Solis (Goodyear, Arizona / Estrella Foothills High School / Central Arizona College).
Thais Uyema is a 5-foot-4 middle infield transfer from Chipola College, an NJCAA Division I program in Marianna, Florida. She led her team to the 2019 NJCAA National Championship, which saw the Indians win their last eight games of the season with a 95-14 differential, including a 19-2 national championship final game against Angelina College. In her two seasons at Chipola, the Indians went 52-5 and 28-4 before the season was halted due to COVID-19. Uyema's squad won their last 12 games of the 2020 season. As a sophomore, Uyema had a .333 batting average. At Chipola, she earned a spot on the Dean's List. Prior to her time at Chipola, Uyema attended Colegio La Union in Lima, Peru. Her high school did not have a softball team, but she competed with the Peruvian National Team system since she was 13 years old. In her time there, she earned two silver medals with the U-15 team and two bronze medals with the U-18 team. She participated in the U-19 World Cup Championship in 2017 and the Pan American Games in 2020. She also played in the Pre Qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games. She was selected as the best third baseman in 2015 and the best scorer in 2016. Uyema also played for the Aelu Club Team. Her career with Aelu was highlighted by being selected as the Tiemi Yajima Standout Catcher in 2012 and Best Catcher in 2013. Uyema led Aelu to the opening and closing championship titles every year from 2011-19. She was named the Best Catcher eight times in the opening and closing championships, while stealing the most bases five times, and being named the Best Scorer four times. In addition to her softball play, she also competed in the debate club and on the soccer, volleyball and baseball teams at Colegio La Union.
Taryn Jenkins is a 5-foot-9 shortstop that throws and bats right-handed. She comes to Purdue Fort Wayne after playing two years of collegiate softball: one year at Douglas College in New Westminster, British Columbia, and one year at McCook Community College in McCook, Nebraska. She attended DW Poppy Secondary for her high school career. At McCook, Jenkins started in 30 of her 32 appearances. For the season, she averaged a scorching .398 from the plate, registering 39 hits, 40 RBIs and 36 runs. She knocked nine home runs in her sophomore campaign. At Douglas in 2020, Jenkins played in four games before the season was halted due to COVID-19. She hit .571 and had four RBIs in those games.
Jaime Suppa is a 5-foot-9 catcher/outfielder that throws right handed and is a switch hitter. Suppa graduated from Nazareth Academy in 2021 after spending four years under head coach Victoria Sobol. She set a program first by hitting home runs from both sides of the plate in the same day. She hit .340 with 15 home runs and 35 stolen bases. Suppa led her team to a regional championship in 2019, while also serving as a member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math National Honor Society, Life Skills Club, Roadrunner Club Student Ambassadors, Future Health Care Professionals, and SMILE club. Suppa also attended retreats for Operation Snowball and Kairos. She played club softball for Bridgeport Bombers U10, Windy City Ice U12, U14 and U18 and Tinley Park Rockers U16 teams. In 2020, she led her club team to a first-place finish at the Portage Indiana Super Shoot Out Tournament.
Taylor Warne, a 5-foot-1 outfielder, bats lefty and throws righty. Warne spent two seasons at Menlo College where she appeared in 29 games as a freshman with eight starts. She hit .345 with five stolen bases and 12 runs. At Lake Land College, where she spent one season, she hit .341 overall and .412 in conference. She played in 48 games, recording 15 stolen bases, 40 runs and 16 RBIs. A 2018 graduate of Cherokee Trail, Warne was a four-year honor roll member, AVID Scholar and earned the Academic Department Award three times. She was a four-year varsity player for the Cougars, hitting a career .351 with 15 RBIs. Warne led her team to the 2016 Colorado 5A State Championship. She played club softball for the Colorado Prodigy Elite (2014-19) and the Prodigy National Team (2017-19). Warne led her team to fourth place at the national championship in 2019.
Epiphany "Baby" Hang is a 5-foot-4 infielder who was selected to the NJCAA All-Region Team, MCCAA All-Conference First Team, MCCAA Eastern Conference All-Freshman Team, and NFCA All-Region Second Team in her two years of college softball. At Grand Haven High School, Hang hit .565 as a senior, setting the program's singles record with 162. She had just four errors in 127 chances for a .969 fielding percentage. Hang was named First Team All-Conference and All-District in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and All-Region in 2018 and 2019. In addition, she was named an All-State Honorable Mention in 2019. She was selected as the team captain in 2018 and 2019 and the best defensive player her final three years at Grand Haven. Hang played club ball for Finesse Fastpitch.
Brooke Wintlend is a 5-foot-10 infielder that is transferring from fellow Horizon League member Green Bay, where she earned Horizon League Academic Honor Roll. Wintlend played for four years at Hononegah, where she also earned a spot on the Honor Roll all four years.
Sonia Solis is a 5-foot-6 outfielder that throws lefty and bats from the right side. She most recently spent two seasons at Central Arizona College. While with Central Arizona, she was named to the ACCAC All-Region Third Team. In high school, she had a career batting average of .403 with 126 total hits and 11 home runs. She played club softball with the Storm from 2013-15 and the Hotshots from 2016-18.
These seven student-athletes will join previously signed Gracie Brinkerhoff, Haven Dwyer and Alise Moneypenny for the Mastodons' 2022 season.
Thais Uyema is a 5-foot-4 middle infield transfer from Chipola College, an NJCAA Division I program in Marianna, Florida. She led her team to the 2019 NJCAA National Championship, which saw the Indians win their last eight games of the season with a 95-14 differential, including a 19-2 national championship final game against Angelina College. In her two seasons at Chipola, the Indians went 52-5 and 28-4 before the season was halted due to COVID-19. Uyema's squad won their last 12 games of the 2020 season. As a sophomore, Uyema had a .333 batting average. At Chipola, she earned a spot on the Dean's List. Prior to her time at Chipola, Uyema attended Colegio La Union in Lima, Peru. Her high school did not have a softball team, but she competed with the Peruvian National Team system since she was 13 years old. In her time there, she earned two silver medals with the U-15 team and two bronze medals with the U-18 team. She participated in the U-19 World Cup Championship in 2017 and the Pan American Games in 2020. She also played in the Pre Qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games. She was selected as the best third baseman in 2015 and the best scorer in 2016. Uyema also played for the Aelu Club Team. Her career with Aelu was highlighted by being selected as the Tiemi Yajima Standout Catcher in 2012 and Best Catcher in 2013. Uyema led Aelu to the opening and closing championship titles every year from 2011-19. She was named the Best Catcher eight times in the opening and closing championships, while stealing the most bases five times, and being named the Best Scorer four times. In addition to her softball play, she also competed in the debate club and on the soccer, volleyball and baseball teams at Colegio La Union.
Taryn Jenkins is a 5-foot-9 shortstop that throws and bats right-handed. She comes to Purdue Fort Wayne after playing two years of collegiate softball: one year at Douglas College in New Westminster, British Columbia, and one year at McCook Community College in McCook, Nebraska. She attended DW Poppy Secondary for her high school career. At McCook, Jenkins started in 30 of her 32 appearances. For the season, she averaged a scorching .398 from the plate, registering 39 hits, 40 RBIs and 36 runs. She knocked nine home runs in her sophomore campaign. At Douglas in 2020, Jenkins played in four games before the season was halted due to COVID-19. She hit .571 and had four RBIs in those games.
Jaime Suppa is a 5-foot-9 catcher/outfielder that throws right handed and is a switch hitter. Suppa graduated from Nazareth Academy in 2021 after spending four years under head coach Victoria Sobol. She set a program first by hitting home runs from both sides of the plate in the same day. She hit .340 with 15 home runs and 35 stolen bases. Suppa led her team to a regional championship in 2019, while also serving as a member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math National Honor Society, Life Skills Club, Roadrunner Club Student Ambassadors, Future Health Care Professionals, and SMILE club. Suppa also attended retreats for Operation Snowball and Kairos. She played club softball for Bridgeport Bombers U10, Windy City Ice U12, U14 and U18 and Tinley Park Rockers U16 teams. In 2020, she led her club team to a first-place finish at the Portage Indiana Super Shoot Out Tournament.
Taylor Warne, a 5-foot-1 outfielder, bats lefty and throws righty. Warne spent two seasons at Menlo College where she appeared in 29 games as a freshman with eight starts. She hit .345 with five stolen bases and 12 runs. At Lake Land College, where she spent one season, she hit .341 overall and .412 in conference. She played in 48 games, recording 15 stolen bases, 40 runs and 16 RBIs. A 2018 graduate of Cherokee Trail, Warne was a four-year honor roll member, AVID Scholar and earned the Academic Department Award three times. She was a four-year varsity player for the Cougars, hitting a career .351 with 15 RBIs. Warne led her team to the 2016 Colorado 5A State Championship. She played club softball for the Colorado Prodigy Elite (2014-19) and the Prodigy National Team (2017-19). Warne led her team to fourth place at the national championship in 2019.
Epiphany "Baby" Hang is a 5-foot-4 infielder who was selected to the NJCAA All-Region Team, MCCAA All-Conference First Team, MCCAA Eastern Conference All-Freshman Team, and NFCA All-Region Second Team in her two years of college softball. At Grand Haven High School, Hang hit .565 as a senior, setting the program's singles record with 162. She had just four errors in 127 chances for a .969 fielding percentage. Hang was named First Team All-Conference and All-District in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and All-Region in 2018 and 2019. In addition, she was named an All-State Honorable Mention in 2019. She was selected as the team captain in 2018 and 2019 and the best defensive player her final three years at Grand Haven. Hang played club ball for Finesse Fastpitch.
Brooke Wintlend is a 5-foot-10 infielder that is transferring from fellow Horizon League member Green Bay, where she earned Horizon League Academic Honor Roll. Wintlend played for four years at Hononegah, where she also earned a spot on the Honor Roll all four years.
Sonia Solis is a 5-foot-6 outfielder that throws lefty and bats from the right side. She most recently spent two seasons at Central Arizona College. While with Central Arizona, she was named to the ACCAC All-Region Third Team. In high school, she had a career batting average of .403 with 126 total hits and 11 home runs. She played club softball with the Storm from 2013-15 and the Hotshots from 2016-18.
These seven student-athletes will join previously signed Gracie Brinkerhoff, Haven Dwyer and Alise Moneypenny for the Mastodons' 2022 season.
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