Miami University signed a total of 16 athletes to National Letters of Intent last week for the following programs:

Ice Hockey

Miami, known as The Brotherhood, is taking the term to a new level with this year’s signing class as two of the four signers are brothers of current or former RedHawks in Matt Joyaux and Johnny Wingels. Trevor Hamilton and Anthony Louis, both of whom are part of the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP), make up the other half of the class.

Three of the four signers are defenseman. Louis is the lone forward of the group.

Hamilton, a native of Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., is in his second season with the UDNTDP.

“Trevor is a well-rounded defenseman that has had a very successful minor hockey career,” Miami coach Enrico Blasi said. “He has good poise with the puck, a good shot, and has a real knack for the open ice hit. The physical element of his game is very impressive. He has been one of the top defenseman in his age group for quite some time.”

Joyaux, from Bloomingdale, Ill., is the brother of Miami freshman defenseman Chris Joyaux.

“Matt is a skilled defenseman that plays with a lot of grit,” Blasi said. “He can really skate and has a bomb of a shot from the point. He shows good poise with the puck, and can play in all situations. Although he would be considered a smaller guy on the back end, he competes at a high level and is an in-your-face kind of player.”

Louis, who stands 5-6, is a native of Winfield, Ill.

“Anthony is a highly skilled forward that has always produced a lot of offense at every level he has been at,” Blasi said. “When you watch him, he will remind you a lot of Andy Miele. He is small, feisty, dynamic and will bring you to the edge of your seat when he has the puck. He is one of those players that will be a fan favorite.”

Rounding out the 2012 signing class is Wingels, the younger brother of former RedHawk Tommy Wingels.

“Off the ice, his academic performance is off the charts,” Blasi said. “On the ice, Johnny is a solid defender that has an impact at both ends of the ice.”

Women’s Basketball

Coach Maria Fantanarosa announced the signing of Hamilton High’s Jillian Spurlock and Nicole Anderson of Terre Haute, Ind.

Spurlock will begin her fourth year on varsity for the Big Blue. As a junior, she averaged 17 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.6 steals and 3.6 assists per game, was named first-team All-Greater Miami Conference and was part of the Ohio Top 100 Showcase.

“Jillian is a solid athlete who has great potential,” Fantanarosa said. “She will outwork everyone at both ends of the court. Her energy and competitiveness stand out and will allow her to take on many roles.”

Anderson, who is in her fourth season as a varsity starter, averaged 15 points and nine rebounds as a junior. “Nicole is a great sign,” Fantanarosa said. “She is a strong player who knows how to score.”

Baseball

Head coach Dan Simonds announced that Spencer Dull (Indianapolis, Ind.), Stephen Sada (Saegertown, Pa.), Jacob Banks (Cincinnati) and Christian Bokich (Hindsdale, Ill.) will play for the RedHawks beginning in 2014.

Dull batted .333 as a junior at Hamilton Heights High School. “We identified Spencer early on as our No. 1 catching prospect,” Simonds said. “He is a tremendous athlete who can also play the infield.”

Banks pitched and played shortstop at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. On the mound, he sported a 7-0 record and 0.81 ERA. As a batter he hit .373.

“We were very fortunate that Jacob had a strong interest in Miami as an academic institution prior to his emergence as a prospect,” Simonds noted. “We saw him on several different occasions and he improved with each performance. We feel he is only scratching the surface of his potential.”

Softball

Coach Clarisa Crowell announced the signing of Jenna Jones (Greencastle, Ind./South Putnam), who will begin playing for the RedHawks in the 2014 season.

As a junior she hit .395 and led the Eagles to a 31-0 record and the Indiana 2A state championship. “She is a versatile and fiery player that can play in the outfield or infield,” Crowell said.

Volleyball

Coach Carolyn Condit announced the signing Maris Below (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo), Krista Brakauskas (Lemont, Ill./Providence Catholic) and Paige Hill (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson).

“Maris, Paige and Krista will comprise one of the finest recruiting classes of my career at Miami,” Condit said.

Hill, a middle hitter, was dominant as a senior, recording 363 kills and 110 solo blocks. “Paige is a high-energy athlete whose explosiveness and competitive drive is reflected in her dominant blocking ability,” Condit said.

Golf

Coach Zac Zedrick announced the signing of Greg Conrad (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) and Jared Hammons (Marietta, Ohio/Marietta).

“What excites me about both Greg and Jared is how much they’ve improved in such a short period of time,” Zedrick said. “It’s a testament to their work ethics and desire to be better than they were the day before. They’re both looking to contribute immediately, which is something I love.”