Softball Reports to Campus for Fall Camp – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/16/1998 12:00:00 AM | Softball
September 16, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team makes its return to campus a week before school starts. The five week fall session will see the Buckeyes participate in two tournaments, one at home and the other in West Lafayette, Ind. (Oct. 10-11).
AWARD WINNERS RETURN
Headlining the list of returning Buckeyes are second-team regional All-Americans Cheryl Palaroan (Sr., Reno, Nev.) and Renae Weigel (Jr., Coldwater, Ohio) and second team all-Big Ten selection Jaime Chenevey (Sr., Wooster, Ohio).
STRONG SENIOR CLASS
Along with Palaroan and Chenevey, starting third baseman Natalie Kratzer (Sr., Ashland, Ohio) and pitcher/first baseman Meaghan Robinson (Sr., Naples, Fla.) return. A healthy Kelly Tom (Sr., Fullerton, Calif.), who missed a majority of last season due to a knee injury, will contribute immediately. Reserve catcher Carla Tobias (Sr., West Jefferson, Ohio) rounds out the senior class.
THE NEW FACES
The Buckeyes have assembled one of top recruiting classes in the Big Ten. Included in this group are high school All-Americans Samantha Kimura (Fr., Placentia, Calif.) and Anna Smith (Fr., Walnut, Calif.). Top Ohioans Julie Darney (Fr., North Jackson, Ohio), Stacey Roth (Fr., Wauseon, Ohio) and Sarah West (Fr., Galloway, Ohio) round out the rest of the class.
BOWMAN NAMED ASSISTANT COACH
One of the all-time greats in Ohio State softball history is returning to the Buckeyes. 1991 All-American Shauna Bowman has joined the team as an assistant coach. She is a four-time letterwinner (88-91) and set the standard of play for third basemen at OSU. She was also a member of OSU’s 1990 Big Ten Championship team.
LAST SEASON
The Buckeyes finished the 1998 season with a 33-23 overall and 10-14 Big Ten Record. The season ended a string of back-to-back losing seasons and marked only the fifth time in school history that a team eclipsed the 30 win plateau. The .589 winning percentage was OSU’s highest in five seasons. Highlights of the year include the Buckeyes taking home both the South Florida/Louisville Slugger Tournament Championship and the Air Touch Cellular/ Sacramento State Consolation Championship. HEAD COACH LINDA KALAFATIS
In just two short seasons, head coach Linda Kalafatis has lifted the Ohio State program to new heights. The rapid rise has seen the Buckeyes improve their winning percentage by at least 100 points each season and last season’s 33-23 mark was the third highest win total in school history. The Buckeyes have improved in every major statistical category the past two seasons including setting new team home run and stolen base marks. In 10 years of coaching, Kalafatis carries an impressive lifetime record of 326-169-2. She is a 1988 graduate of Calfornia, Pa.
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Enrollment: 48,278
President: William E. Kirwan
Athletic Director: Andy Geiger
Nickname: Buckeyes
Colors: Scarlet & Gray
Mascot: Brutus Buckeye
Conference: Big Ten Conference
1998 Record: 33-23 overall, 10-14 in Big Ten
Head Coach: Linda Kalafatis, California, Pa. ’88
OSU Record: 53-54 (.495), two years
Career Record: 326-169-2 (.658), 11 years
Assistants: Belinda Cernava, Drema Neal and Shauna Bowman Athletic
Communications: Pat Chun
Next 10 Days
Today: The Buckeyes will practice from 3-6 p.m.
Sept. 17-18, 21-22: OSU will have practice at 10 a.m. and again at 3 p.m.
Sept. 23-25: With class in session, the Buckeyes will practice at 3:15 p.m.
Buckeye Fall Invitational
Sept. 26-27: OSU will play host to the Buckeye Fall Invitational. Along with Ohio State, scheduled to participate are Dayton and Bowling Green. All games will be played on Buckeye Field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Admission is free.
Saturday, Sept. 26
Game One: OSU vs. Dayton, 10 a.m.
Game Two: Dayton vs. Bowling Green, noon
Game Three: OSU vs. Bowling Green, 2 p.m.
Game Four: OSU vs. Dayton, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 27
Game Five: Dayton vs. Bowling Green, 10 a.m.
Game Six: OSU vs. Bowling Green, noon
Championship Game, 2 p.m.
Consolation Game, 4 p.m.
Quoting Coach Kalafatis: “The fall is an important time for us to get an early evaluation of where we stand as a team. After the improvements we made last season, we are very excited to get things under way this fall. The additions we made along with our returning players should make this a very formidable team.”
