Long Island University Athletics

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Brooklyn, N.Y. - Mariesha Marker of the Long Island University softball team is set to join the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch league for the upcoming season. Marker will play alongside such accomplished players as Jennie Finch. Marker helped the Blackbirds win a school-record 39 games in 2010 and advance to the regional final for the first time in school history.

"I’m excited to prolong my career," Marker said. "After you think it’s over there’s no better feeling than finding out you have a chance to keep playing. Just the other day I was thinking to myself, ‘I wish I had one more at-bat or one more chance to play defense’ and now I have that chance. It’s not over. It was kind of a shock. It came out of nowhere."

Marker had an outstanding senior season as the starting catcher for LIU earning National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Northeast Region Second Team honors. She boosted her batting average 80 points from last season to .373 and smacked a career-high six home runs en route to earning All-Northeast Conference honors for the second straight season. She recorded 24 extra base hits including 15 doubles and was also a member of the NEC All-Tournament squad. Defensively, she threw out 39 percent of opposing base stealers. With six steals of her own, Marker moved into seventh all-time on LIU's career stolen base list.

"Mariesha had a terrific year for us," LIU head coach Roy Kortmann said of Marker. "She capped it off by hitting .428 in the NCAA Regional as we reached the regional final for the first time in school history. An exciting offensive player I think she is still getting better. She will be playing professionally with the best players in the world and will represent LIU and our program very well. Mariesha gets to live out a well earned dream!"

The Bandits' season begins on June 9 at Lubbock, Texas, against the USSSA Pride.