November 3, 2022

By Jon Feyen
ScoutU

Change is a constant in college athletics. Schools change conferences, athletes transfer and coaches move to different programs. After her first commitment was put in doubt, Sierra Thomas re-opened her recruiting and selected the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

The ScoutU OF/2B was coming off a junior season in which she broke Arrowhead High School (Wis.) records with eight home runs, 29 RBIs and an .859 slugging percentage. All told, Thomas received more than a dozen offers to play at the next level.

“ScoutU and Jason Lauren provided Sierra a competitive advantage in her recruiting journey,” Sierra’s mom Rebecca Mattano said. “Not only was Jason always available and quick to reply with excellent advice, but the website, video, college contacts and emails provided Sierra so much opportunity that we simply would not have been able to accomplish independently.”

Thomas originally committed to Seton Hill University last August. But after a leadership change in that program, she decided to explore the other schools she’d been communicating with.

“Sierra was put in a tough situation when the coaches left Seton Hill – not knowing for sure if their new coaches would still honor the offer – so she decided to look into other options,” Lauren said. “I spoke with UMD coach Lynn Anderson about Sierra after she visited there and was excited that she quickly found another D2 school that was a good fit for her. Sierra was impressed with the atmosphere both academically and athletically.”

Minnesota-Duluth has consistently been a strong program in the Midwest, posting a 71-31 record over the last two years. The Bulldogs will be adding an offensive weapon who is also a standout in the classroom with her 3.8 GPA.

“Sierra was a pleasure to help with her recruiting,” Lauren said. “She was always right on top of what she was supposed to be doing and followed my advice, which made an impact on her recruiting. Sierra’s top strength is her bat. She has power at the plate and with her 71 mph exit velocity, she crushes the ball. I’m sure she will have a great career at UMD!”

Thomas is thankful that ScoutU connected her with many colleges, so that if one of her leading contenders didn’t work out, there were still quality options to choose from.

“Sierra received several offers and was able to make the choice that provided the best scholarship, academic and athletic fit,” Mattano said. “I would highly recommend Jason and ScoutU. My only regret was that we did not start working with ScoutU sooner in this process! Thank you Jason for all your guidance and expertise through this recruitment process!”