Today’s Player Profile takes us to the Sunshine State where we meet a sophomore who lives very close to her future home!  This lefty pitcher is also an excellent student who wants to study Business Finance at her SEC school…

***

Name: KATIE CHRONISTER
Grad Year: 2016
Pos: LHP
High School: Gainesville (Fla.)
GPA: 4.4
Club: Santa Fe Inferno – Hill
College: Florida

 

StudentSportsSoftball.com: Tell us how you were first seen by the Florida coaches, then how long until they offered?
Katie Chronister: I was first seen by UF when I attended one of the summer camps last year. After the camp, I followed up with them to find out that they were interested in me. They offered about eight months later, give or take.

 

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
KC: I decided to commit two weeks after I got the offer. I have grown up watching Florida play and I didn’t want to be anywhere else. The coaching staff is amazing and the team got along really well. I wanted to play at Florida because they are one of the most competitive teams in the nation.

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone, on an unofficial visit?
KC: I contacted the coaches through phone. I contacted Coach Walton mostly and I also got in contact with their pitching coach to see what I needed to improve on in my pitching a couple times. I also went on one unofficial visit where I sat with the pitching coach and one of their pitchers and went over game footage and observed a practice to see how things were run.

 

SSS.com: Describe your emotions around telling them, were you more nervous or more excited?
KC: I was excited to commit to the University of Florida more than anything! When I gave my answer, I felt confident because all of the hard work that is involved in the practice paid off.

 

SSS.com: Did you and your family do anything fun to celebrate?
KC: I actually verballed to the University of Florida on a Monday after my high school practice. The next day I pitched our season opener against Buchholz where the coaching staff came out to watch and gunned me. I actually threw three mph faster than my previous time.

 

SSS.com: How far away from home will be?  Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
KC: The campus and field are practically in my back yard—I live 15 minutes away from the campus. The location was definitely a factor in my decision because I would love for my mom and dad to be able to get off of work and head to my games on any given day. I will have a ton of supporters at home and that is a big advantage for me.

 

SSS.com:  What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
KC: One of my strengths in softball that people like to tell me is my demeanor on the mound. I do not show any emotion. They refer to me as a bulldog. I am very competitive as well. I hate to lose more than I love to win. That is why I believe the University of Florida will be a great fit for me.

 

SSS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
KC: One of my favorite memories in high school ball is winning regionals and qualifying for State for the first time in GHS history, last year, which was my freshman year. One of my favorite memories in travel ball was getting a birth to Nationals in Illinois last year. We lost our second game on a Saturday and had to play nine games in a row to win the whole thing and we only had two pitchers. We pulled it through and won out of the loser’s bracket. We had to beat one team twice in the championship to win, and we did. I pitched both of those games.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to major in?
Business Finance.

Fill in the blank… I’m happiest when:
… I can pitch myself out of a jam.

Favorite food:
Steak and crab legs.

Least favorite food:
Lima beans.

Favorite place in the world:
Hawaii.

What’s your dream vacation?
Taking a trip to Italy or Paris

What type of bat do you use?
The original Xeno and I LOVE IT!

Who always makes you laugh?
My younger sister, Jackie Chronister

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I am extremely OCD.

How would your friends describe you in one word?
Goofy.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
I would probably take my best friend, Brittany, so I wouldn’t get bored.

What’s your No. 1 goal for 2014?
Beating my speed while pitching. I am at 64-65 mph right now.

Other than family, who’s your hero or someone you look up to most?
I look up to my pitching coach, Devyn Findley. She is a UNF alumni and somebody that I can tell anything to. She also pushes me to my breaking point. I couldn’t of accomplished anything without her.