Maddie Hansen, an All-American catcher for the Kirkwood softball team, has signed a national letter-of-intent with North Dakota State.

Hansen hit .455 with 20 home runs and 93 RBIs for the Eagles last season. She ranked third in the nation in RBIs and finished seventh in home runs in NJCAA Division II.

Hansen was a prep star at Cedar Rapids Jefferson. She originally planned to attend Ball State after one year at Kirkwood, but changed her mind and returned to Kirkwood for a second campaign.

Hansen is the fifth member of the 2017 Kirkwood softball team to pick a college. Taylor Nearad, the junior college Player of the Year in 2016, has signed with Iowa State. Lexi Ferrari will be headed to Missouri Southern, Morgan Frost to Missouri Western, and Lexi Kinnaird to Wisconsin-Green Bay.