CHICAGO - UIC head softball coach Michelle Venturella announced the signing of four newcomers for the 2016 season on Thursday. The Flames will welcome in Claire Crane (Beach Park, Ill./Zion Benton Township), Skylee James (Carlsbad, Calif./Rancho Bernardo), Lexi Watts (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Mesa) and Emily Wetzel (Oak Lawn, Ill./H.L. Richards).

"We are so thrilled to have these outstanding young women join our program," Venturella said. "We always look to recruit the best student-athletes from our area, but we are also fortunate to be able to recruit top talent across the country. We have a great mix of both with this class of 2015."

An outfielder from Beach Park, Ill., Crane is coming off a Lake Division Championship in 2014 with Zion Benton Township High School that aided in her third All-Conference selection and first Third Team All-State honor.

Crane enters her senior season after hitting .431 as a junior with 50 hits (11 doubles, three triples and 10 home runs), 38 runs and 39 RBI to lead the Bees in nearly every category.

"Claire is such a wonderful person that will see time in the outfield. She has a very strong arm and plays the game the right way. Her enthusiasm for her teammates and softball is evident every time you watch her play."

An infielder out of Carlsbad, Calif., James has compiled a 63-29-1 record while at Rancho Bernardo High School the past three seasons. She helped the Broncos win the Palomar League Championship and CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) Division II Championship in 2013, in addition to placing as the runner-up in the CIF Division II in 2012. James earned All-League Second Team honors as a sophomore and junior and was an honorable mention as a freshman.

James is coming off her junior season, which resulted in a .346 batting average with 28 hits, a team-high eight doubles, 18 runs and 18 RBI. James also owned one of the top three batting averages on the team in each of her three seasons.

"Skylee plays with confidence and is a vocal leader. She is a strong, athletic player that will help us in the infield."

An outfielder from Murrieta, Calif., Watts heads into her final season at Murrieta High School, where she has captained her team the past two seasons and earned All-League Second Team honors as a sophomore and junior from the South Western Conference.

Watts set school records as a freshman in batting average, stolen bases, hits and runs, and then topped those marks as a sophomore. She is coming off her junior campaign after leading her team with a batting average of .500, 38 hits, three home runs, 23 runs, 19 RBI and 21 stolen bases, the category in which she went a perfect 21-for-21.

"Lexi has tremendous speed and has a lot of versatility offensively. She is an outfielder that gives us great range and a strong arm."

A catcher/infielder from Oak Lawn, Ill., Wetzel will bring a wealth of championship experience to the Flames, as she has won the conference championship with H.L. Richards High School the past three seasons in addition to capturing the regional title as a freshman and junior. Wetzel has also boasted a collection of accolades during her high school career, including All-Conference and All-Area First Team as a sophomore and junior and All-Area Second Team as a freshman.

Wetzel hit .483 as a junior with 43 hits, including nine doubles, three triples and 11 home runs, 34 runs, 40 RBI and six stolen bases.

"Emily is a local talent from just down the road. She is a catcher that gives us power at the plate. She has tremendous work ethic and is very coachable."