Ohio State Softball Celebrates 2003 Season with Annual Awards Banquet – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
June 1, 2003
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball squad celebrated the 2003 season at the team’s annual awards banquet Sunday in the Ohio Stadium Recruit Room. The Buckeyes, who posted a 26-23 overall mark and a 5-11 record in Big Ten action this season, awarded 12 annual accolades for athletic and academic achievement throughout the 2003 season and said goodbye to the winningest class in Ohio State history (154 career victories). Among the seven departing seniors are: Katie Chain (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover), Annie Dedic (Yorba Linda, Calif./Fullerton J.C.), Amy Ellis (Eerie, Pa./Ball State), Kristine Himes (Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley), Rogeanna Hottinger (Newark, Ohio/Newark), Liz Kacsanek (Uniontown, Ohio/Green) and Jennifer Link (Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora).
“Although we fell short of some goals this season, this team won some of the biggest games in the history of the program, including three wins over Top 10 teams,” Linda Kalafatis, Ohio State head coach, said. “We look to build on this season and continue to add to the strength of Ohio State softball. The seven seniors that will be leaving us will be deeply missed and we wish them all nothing but the best.”
Sophomore Karisa Evans (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin), a 2003 Great Lakes All-Region Second Team selection, was named the squad’s Offensive Player of the Year and the Most Valuable Player. Evans, an outfielder for the Buckeyes, was one of two players to start in all 49 games and owned a .949 fielding percentage. She led the Buckeyes with a .345 batting average, 49 hits, 32 runs and 13 doubles. Evans also tallied 17 RBI and stole six-of-eight bases this season. Hottinger, a senior centerfielder, earned the Defensive Player of the Year Award. She is ranked in the Top 10 among Ohio State leaders for career home runs, set a personal-best batting average mark this season and started in 194-of-216 total games.
Junior Kristi DeVries (Corona, Calif./Corona) was the recipient of the Pitcher of the Year Award. DeVries was 12-8 on the season and tallied 139 strikeouts with a 1.33 ERA.
Dedic and junior first base player Beth McAbier (Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton) shared Most Improved Player of the Year honors. The starting catcher for the Buckeyes as a senior, Dedic was a defensive leader for Ohio State. She set career highs this season with 28 hits and five doubles. McAbier, who started in 28-of-32 games, owned a .969 fielding percentage and led the Buckeyes with 211 put-outs.
Besides Evans, two other underclass players were honored for their individual commitment this season. Sophomore catcher Natalie Hales (Canton, Ohio/Eastern Michigan) won the Buckeye Spirit Award for being the vocal leader in the dugout during games. Freshman shortstop Billie Jo Carder (Celina, Ohio/Celina) was given Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Scholar-Athlete honors. Carder started in 20-of-29 games and owned a .271 average with 16 hits and 11 runs scored.
Link, a 2003 Ohio State Big Ten Medal of Honor finalist, four-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, was named the 2003 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Link, who missed a series of 11 games in the middle of the season, started in 38-of-46 games she participated in and owned a .293 batting average, the second highest on the team. This year, Link stole a team-best 12-of-13 bases, tallied 36 hits, 24 runs, five doubles, three triples and garnered a .940 fielding percentage. Link is a 2002 Third Team All-American, a four-time All-Big Ten selection and a 2002 First Team All-Great Lakes Region selection.
Chain, a player who owns every Ohio State career pitching record, was named the 2003 Coaches’ Award winner. A four-time OSU Scholar-Athlete, Chain owns the marks for most career wins (67), innings pitched (677.3), strikeouts (692) and shutouts (26) in Buckeye history. Ohio State’s first pitcher to reach 600 strikeouts, Chain is a three-time all-conference pick, a two-time All-Great Lakes Region selection and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.
The Buckeye Power Club Award (for hard work, dedication and setting an example in the weight room and in conditioning) recipient was Ellis. Ellis was a strong force of leadership for the Buckeye squad this year. She hit her first career home run vs. Northwestern this season and owns a perfect fielding percentage. She is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and a two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete.
As a group, the Buckeyes continued strong performance in the classroom by touting 13 OSU Scholar-Athletes and nine Academic All-Big Ten picks this year.
2003 Ohio State Softball Award Winners:
Offensive Player of the Year Karisa Evans
Defensive Player of the Year Rogeanna Hottinger
Pitcher of the Year Kristi DeVries
Most Valuable Player Karisa Evans
Most Improved Player of the Year Annie Dedic and Beth McAbier
Buckeye Spirit Award Natalie Hales
Rookie of the Year Billie Jo Carder
Scholar-Athlete of the Year Jennifer Link
Most Improved Scholar-Athlete Billie Jo Carder
Coaches’ Award Katie Chain
Buckeye Power Club Award Amy Ellis
