February 21, 2023

By Jon Feyen
ScoutU

The college landscape can vary from small schools of a few thousand students all the way up to 50,000 or more at the nation’s largest. For 2023 ScoutU outfielder Brooke Howard, she was looking for a university that found the right balance in the middle. After talking with dozens of coaches, Howard recently committed to play softball for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

UWL is the defending champion (13-1) in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference after posting a 27-10 overall record last season. Howard will join former ScoutU prospect Hailey Jibben, who started all 37 games her freshman season while batting .313 with eight doubles for the Eagles.

“There are so many reasons that UW-La Crosse is the right fit for me,” Howard said. “When I visited the school and watched the team practice, both the coaches and players were very nice to me, which made me feel welcomed. The size of La Crosse is just the right fit for me too, because it’s big enough that they offer a variety of majors and activities, but small enough that I can develop relationships with my professors and have a better learning experience. On my tour, I noticed that they have very nice athletic facilities that I’ll be able to use and become a better athlete. Lastly, UW-La Crosse has a reputable softball program that I am very excited to be a part of.”

UW-La Crosse has an undergraduate enrollment around 10,000 – placing it on the larger end of NCAA Division III schools. In addition to that, Howard will be just a 4-hour drive from her hometown of Rock Falls, Ill.

“I’m so happy Brooke found a good fit for her at UW-La Crosse!” ScoutU’s Jason Lauren said. “Coach Chris Helixon saw her play at a showcase in August which I was attending. I introduced her to Coach Helixon after Brooke let me know she was interested in that school. UWL is getting a great kid and player. Brooke is a speedy slapper with a strong arm in the outfield. I’m excited to see how she does in La Crosse!”

Howard’s arm (66 mph) and speed make her valuable on both defense and offense. During her junior year, she set school records with 61 hits and a .570 batting average.

“After working with ScoutU, I was contacted by nearly 30-40 coaches,” Howard said. “I am extremely excited and grateful for this opportunity to play at the collegiate level. Ever since I was young, it has been my goal to play in college, and I want to take this opportunity to grow as a player and sharpen my skills.”

With a 4.5 weighted GPA and ranked first in her class, Howard is ready to thrive as a student-athlete in a very competitive conference. Her family is proud to see her continue her career at the next level.

“ScoutU and Jason Lauren did a great job with the player profile and editing her video highlights,” said Brad Howard, Brooke’s father. “Coaches had a lot of compliments about the videos. Jason was always available and quick to respond to texts whenever we had questions. College recruiting is overwhelming, and Jason’s guidance throughout this process was helpful.”