Kansas Softball Class of 2013: Katelyn Schumacher

KUAthletics.com will highlight each of KU's six softball signees, fifth of six is Katelyn Schumacher

Nov. 20, 2012

Softball Signees


Name	Hometown
Lily Behrmann	Overland Park, Kan.
Taylor Dodson	Grove, Okla.
Taylor McElhaney	Talala, Okla.
Harli Ridling	Sentinel, Okla.
Katelyn Schumacher	Hays, Kan.

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Fourth-year head coach Megan Smith announced the six future Jayhawks who signed National Letters of Intent that comprise the 2013 Kansas softball signing class. In the fifth of a six-part series, KUathletics.com highlights Katelyn Schumacher.

A three-year letterwinner at Hays High School under coach Abby Maska, Schumacher has led the Indians to three-straight regional championships. The Hays, Kan., native has hit .530 or better in each of her high school seasons heading into her senior year this spring. She was named the 2011 Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year following her sophomore season. That year Schumacher also collected First-Team All-State and All-Area honors as the Indians went on to finish fourth in the state tournament.

Last spring, Schumacher hit .534 as a junior resulting in her second-straight Western Athletic Conference Selection.

"Katelyn is a dynamic player," Smith said. "She has played for one of the best summer programs in the state, the Wichita Mustangs. They are coached by Mark Griggs, who is an unbelievable summer coach. (That means) she has played the best competition in the country for the last few years with them and has done extremely well. She is a powerful hitter and has a lot of potential at the plate."

Aside from her softball abilities, Schumacher is a Western Athletic Conference Second Team selection on the volleyball team and has earned All-State honors for the HHS women's basketball team.

"That athleticism just goes across the board," Smith said. "They have good footwork and good coordination, you just see a little difference in someone that has played more than one sport. For her, I think that has helped with her versatility. She can play a corner position. She can play outfield. She's a good hitter and runs the bases well. You can see that athleticism that comes from different sports kind of bleed into softball."

Schumacher is a three-time Outstanding Academic Achievement Award winner and has been on the 4.0 honor roll three years, as well. She is a University of Kansas Honors Scholar, is on the Western Athletic Conference 4.0 Team and is a member of the National Honor Society. The daughter of Bruce and Brenda Schumacher, Katelyn plans to major in biochemistry.