Softball Signs Four to National Letters of Intent – Ohio State Buckeyes
12/14/1998 12:00:00 AM | Softball
December 14, 1998
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team has announced the signings of Katie Chain (North Canton, Ohio), Kristine Himes (Bolivar, Ohio), Rogeanna Hottinger (Newark, Ohio) and Jennifer Link (Yorba Linda, Calif.) to national letters-of-intent to attend OSU in the fall of 1999.
“This recruiting class fills all of our target areas,” Ohio State head coach Linda Kalafatis said of her third recruiting class as the OSU mentor. “With seven kids in our current senior class, we knew wed have to recruit players that would be ready to play quickly. These student-athletes will have that opportunity to play early in their respective careers and my staff is looking forward to coaching them. The character and talent these young ladies possess will be an important element to building a successful program. They will become great Buckeyes.”
Katie Chain
“On my visit, everything felt right and I felt like I belong.” Chain said. “Everybody is so involved with the college. During the football game I went to, all I saw was red.
“OSU is only two hours away so my family, friends and coaches can stay involved with my college career.”
Chain, from North Canton Hoover High School, is one of the most decorated high school pitchers in the Midwest. As a junior, she was named a NFCA high school All-American, all-Ohio, all-Stark County and her teams most valuable player. Chain also plays on the Grand Slam Gold summer softball team. She plans on majoring in education.
“We believe Katie will be someone we can literally throw right into the fire of high-level competition,” Kalafatis said. “She is by far, the best young pitcher in the state of Ohio and although there is no softball rating system, we believe shes the best high school pitcher in the Midwest region of the country.
Kristine Himes
“The coaching staff had been following me for a long time,” Himes said. “They were always sincere with me and I liked that.” Himes, from Tuscarawas Valley High School, is one of the top middle infielders in the state of Ohio. She was her conferences player of the year and an all-district selection. She plans on majoring in either physical therapy or sports medicine.
“Players at Kristines age just dont hit the ball out of the park as consistently as shes done,” Kalafatis said. “She has a great work ethic and is an extremely motivated student so there is not reason to believe that she wont excel at the Division I level. She is an excellent power hitter, a prototype long-ball hitter in the Big Ten. “
Rogeanna Hottinger
Hottinger, from Newark High School, is the premier outfielder in the state of Ohio. She is a two-time all-state selection, three-time all-conference selection and was name the Central District Player of the Year as a junior.
“Rogeanna may be the best true outfielder to ever come out of the state of Ohio,” Kalafatis said. “She has big time arm and swing. The upside of her potential is immense. Like Kristine, she has prototype Big Ten power.”
Jennifer Link
Link, from Sonora (Calif.) High School, was an outfielder for the ASA Gold National Champion Gordons Panthers. She played alongside two current Buckeyes, Anna Smith and Samantha Kimura. As a junior, she is already a two-time all-CIF selection and a two-time all-conference honoree. Link was also named her high schools MVP last year. She will major in nursing at Ohio State.
“In terms of being a triple-threat from the left-side of the plate, Jen brings to us something we dont see much of at the high school level in the state of Ohio,” Kalafatis said. “She can bunt, slap or pop one in the gap as a hitter. She plays on the defending Gold National Champions, the Gordons Panthers out of Southern California. The level of competition that Jen plays at will very much prepare her for Big Ten softball. She is versatile and should contribute right away.
