PHILADELPHIA- The University of Pennsylvania's head softball coach, Christie Novatin, is happy to announce her

incoming recruits for the 2023-24 season. Five young women – Mia Hartley, Ella Utschig, Megan Huang, Chloe

Lesko and Dakota Farmer – will join the team as freshmen.
 

"We are very excited to welcome these women to the program," said Novatin, who was named as the program's head coach in June. "This is a talented group of freshmen, who have fit in well with the Quaker family. We cannot wait for the season to begin."
 

High School: Lettered in softball and served as team captain … 2020 Coach's Award recipient … 2021-23 team

MVP … 2022 and 2023 All-Southwest Preparatory Conference Team … 2023 Batterson Award recipient … Played

club softball for Texas Elite Bancroft from 2017-20 and Impact Gold National Rodriguez from 2020-23.
 

Personal: Daughter of Cindy and John Hartley … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
 

Why Penn? "I chose Penn so I can play great softball and get a great education."
 

High School: Played varsity softball as an eighth grader ... All-State honoree freshman year … League Pitcher of the

Year … All-Section and All-District honoree … Played club softball for the Rhode Island Thunder for three years …

Played club softball for Virginia Glory during her senior year … Finished fifth at PGF with Rhode Island Thunder 16u

… National Honor Society member … Presidential Award … Student Athlete Award.
 

Personal: Daughter of Christopher Utschig … Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
 

Why Penn? "I chose Penn because it's an amazing school, in my favorite city. I loved the atmosphere of the

University and all that it has to offer."

 

High School: Four-year letter winner in softball, captain as a senior … 2021 District 16-6A Champions … Three-time

Bi-District Champions … Two-time Area Champions … Was a three-time First Team All-District outfielder … Two-

time Texas High School top outfielders list … Led the district in triples as a freshman with five (season cut short due

to covid-19) … Led the district in stolen bases with 25 during senior season … Career batting average of .444 …

Career on base percentage of .459 … 86 career runs batted in with 121 runs scored … Also played volleyball,

serving as a captain with that team freshman and sophomore years … 2023 Student Athletic leadership team

(softball representative) … 2023 James Kainer Athletic Scholarship recipient … Four-time distinguished honor roll …

three-time 16-6A Academic All-District … THSCA First Team Academic All-State … TGCA First Team Academic All-

State … Graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors … National Honor Society member … Mu Alpha Theta member.
 

Personal: Daughter of Debra and Andrew Huang ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
 

Why Penn? "I chose Penn because of the balance between rigorous academics and competitive athletics."

 

High School: Four-year letter winner in softball and three-year captain ... 2023 Woodbridge Tournament champions

… 2023 league champions … All CIF Southern Section First Team 2021 and 2022 … Four-time all-league … Batted

over .500 throughout her four years … Held a .990 fielding percentage throughout her four years … Earned "The

Rock" award for leadership and teammate priority … Junior and senior year Most Outstanding Player … Wolverine of

the Year recipient … Played club softball for California Cruisers Caouette from 2017-21 and California Cruisers

Sievers from 2021-23 … 2022 Extra Innings Elite 100 No. 14 recruit in the nation … Extra Innings Elite 100 No. 4 first

base recruit in the nation … ODM national leaderboard top 25 exit velocity in the nation … PGF All-America Watch

List in 2021, finalist in 2022 and 2023.
 

Personal: Daughter of Sandi and Todd Lesko … Enrolled in the Wharton School of Business.
 

Why Penn? "My decision to commit to Penn was rooted in my interest and desire to be a part of something bigger

than myself. Not only do I get the honor of playing in the Ivy League, but I am also given the chance to study and

grow at the Wharton School of Business. Being able to attend a university that not only allows me to continue my

passion for softball, but also challenge myself in the classroom in hopes of bettering myself for the coming chapters in my life was simply a no-brainer."

 

High School: Four-year letter winner in softball …2020 GRIT Award recipient ... 2021 team MVP … 2021 25-5A first

team All-District … 2021 TGCA All-State 5A … 2021 TSWA All-State honorable mention third base … 2021 Extra

Innings No. 60 overall c/o 2023 … 2021 Extra Innings No. 28 catcher c/o 2023 … Lone Star Prep's top 2023 Texas

High School catchers … 2022 GRIT Award recipient … 2022 25 5-A first team All-District … 2022 TSWA first team

All-State 5A catcher … 2022 SB Live All Central Texas third team catcher … 2023 SB Live Texas top 35 High

School catcher … 2023 Team MVP award recipient … 2023 "QAB" Queen … 2023 25-5A first team All-District …

2023 25-5A Catcher of the Year award recipient … 2023 Central Texas All-Star … 2023 TGCA All-State 5A … TWSA

All-State 5A second team catcher … Holds the Glenn High School records for home runs in a season (13) and career

(40), RBIs in a season (59) and career (155), and total bases in a season (111) and career (306) … Had a career

batting average of .463, on-base percentage of .549, and slugging percentage of 1.026 … Career OPS 1.576 … 138

career hits and 102 runs scored … Defensively, held a career .984 fielding percentage … Played club softball for

Texas Blaze Fastpitch from 2013-18 … Texas Premier Fastpitch from 2018-20 and Texas Bombers Fastpitch from

2020-23 … 2020 17-5A Academic All-District … 2021-23 25-5A Academic All-District … 2023 THSCA Academic All-

State … TGCA Academic All-State ranked No. 4 in class … Fellowship of Christian athletes officer … Greater Austin

area scholarship recipient.
 

Personal: Daughter of Debbie and Steve Farmer … Father played baseball at the University of Texas … Enrolled in

the College of Arts and Sciences.
 

Why Penn? "I chose Penn because of the enriching academic opportunity, supportive and motivated team culture,

and beautiful campus. I knew choosing Penn would mean being surrounded by some of the greatest intellectual

minds not only in the classroom, but on the field as well."