Bulls add talent on first day of early signing period

The baseball team was one of a number of USF programs that added players on the first day of the early signing period. USF ATHLETICS PHOTO

Various USF athletic teams added a number of new players to their rosters on the first day of the early signing period Wednesday, including the baseball team officially adding right-handed pitcher/outfielder Zachary Showalter to bolster a strong 2022 recruiting class.

Showalter, who first announced his commitment to the Bulls in 2019, is one of 16 players who make up the 28th best recruiting class of 2022, according to Perfect Game. The Bulls are the only non-power five school with a ranking in the top 30.

As a junior at Wesley Chapel High School in the 2020-21 season, Showalter made 11 appearances and pitched a total of 35 innings, per MaxPreps. He allowed just 20 hits with an ERA of 1.20, as well as striking out 62 batters.

Coach Jose Fernandez and the women’s basketball team also secured the commitments of a pair of overseas players in Marina Asensio from Spain and Emma Johansson from Sweden.

Johansson is a 6-foot-3 forward from Jonkoping who could give the Bulls a boost next season with Bethy Mununga and Shae Leverett in their final year with the Bulls.

The men’s squad signed Ryan Conwell from Pike High School in Indianapolis.

Conwell is a three-star combo guard who turned down offers from Appalachian State, Murray State, Ball State and Eastern Illinois before selecting the Bulls, according to 247Sports. In his junior season at Pike, Conwell averaged 16.4 points and 2.7 assists per game.

Rounding out the signees is Nino Palmquist, a golfer from Sweden who will soon be playing for the men’s team. Palmquist is No. 3 in the Swedish Under-18 Golf Rankings and No. 64 in the European Under-18 Golf Rankings.