The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas-ex Cat Osterman invited to USA Softball National Team selection trials
10.02.2018 | Softball
Former UT pitching legend was one of 41 athletes to accept an invite for the January 2019 trials
AUSTIN, Texas – Former Texas softball standout and two-time U.S. Olympic medalist Cat Osterman is one of 41 athletes that has accepted an invitation to the 2019 USA Softball Women's National Team Selections Trials slated for Jan. 1-6, 2019, at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla.
Those athletes who accepted the invitation to try out will vie for 18 spots on the 2019 USA Softball WNT Training Team roster that will compete at the USA Softball International Cup and select international events. The roster will then be trimmed to 15 athletes to participate in the Pan American Games, scheduled for July 31-August 11, 2019, in Lima, Peru.
During a decorated career on the Forty Acres, the three-time USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year, four-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American and two-time ESPY Award winner for Best Female College Athlete put up a staggering career record of 136-25 with a 0.51 ERA and 2,265 strikeouts while helping the Longhorns to three Women's College World Series appearances. Osterman still holds the NCAA record for highest career strikeout-per-seven-inning ratio at 14.34, remains the only player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in ERA on three occasions and managed 20 no-hitters and seven perfect games while at Texas.
Drafted No. 1 overall in the 2006 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Draft, Osterman went on to tremendous pro success over an eight-year career with the Rockford Thunder and USSSA Pride. She led the Thunder to the league title in 2009 and captured three more Cowles Cup championships with the Pride in 2010, 2013 and 2014. Osterman was named All-NPF on six occasions and the NPF's Pitcher of the Year three times (2011, 2013, 2014).
On an international level, Osterman won gold as the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic Softball Team in Athens in 2004 and then took silver four years later in Beijing.
Most recently, Osterman has been serving as an associate head coach on the softball coaching staff at Texas State in San Marcos, Texas.
During the selection process, athletes will participate in position drills as well as simulated games while being evaluated by the USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Committee (WNTSC). Highlighting the list of invitees are three Olympic Medalists: Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.), Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour, Fla.) and Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas). In addition, all members of the 2018 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Championship team, who helped the U.S. capture back-to-back titles and qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, will participate at the 2019 Selection Trials.
Comprising the 2019 Women's National Team Selection Trials invitee list includes present or former student athletes from four athletic conferences: Big 10 (two), Big 12 (six), SEC (15) and Pac-12 (19) who represent 17 NCAA Division I universities. Of the athletes invited, a total of eight have won one or more NCAA Women's College World Series (WCWS) National Championships with their respective university, while five have garnered USA Softball Player of the Year honors at least once during their career.
