« Softball 2012

Katelyn Boyd

School
Arizona State
Position
Shortstop
Major
Family Studies
AVG
.458
R
68
H
65
FLD%
.963
RBI
58

Classroom

Boyd upholds a 3.72 GPA in her family studies major and is on track to graduate in May 2012. Her academic endeavors are showcased in two consecutive Academic All-American honors in 2010 and 2011. Boyd’s current career interests include joining the Arizona State softball squad as a graduate athletic trainer, or joining the ASU Softball team as a graduate assistant.

Character

Boyd’s leadership on the Sun Devil squad has increased over the past four years as she has demonstrated extraordinary integrity, sportsmanship, and work ethic. In her sophomore season, Boyd broke two fingers on her left hand, and she took the opportunity to not just regain her former stature but improve heavily on her playing. In honor of her strength in overcoming this obstacle to return to play, Boyd received ASU’s Golden Heart Award, granted by the athletic department at the annual student-athlete Sparky Awards ceremony. Boyd still etched her name in ASU softball history that year with single-season top-10 records in six categories, which she improved on in her junior season as she helped lead the team to a victory in the 2011 Women’s College World Series Championship. While her statistics speak volumes, it is really Boyd’s presence on the field that demonstrates her intense work ethic and leadership. She works ceaselessly to improve her performance, regardless of previous records or accolades. Boyd also has the uncanny ability to truly lead her peers, not just with her performance but also with her personality, pumping up her teammates and inspiring them to work harder.

Community

Being a student-athlete has enabled Boyd to aid her community in ways she might not have been able to otherwise. Boyd has participated in numerous charity events, such as the Race for the Cure, which the entire softball team participates in annually, as well as Fantasy Flight. Boyd has also worked extensively with the Special Olympics organization, which the squad visits regularly.

Competition

Boyd has been steadily working her way up the Arizona State record books over her past three seasons. At the end of her junior year, Boyd’s career batting average of .380 ranks second in Sun Devil history, and her 43 cumulative home runs are third overall. Her 2011 season saw 79 runs scored under her name, which at 1.2 runs per game put her at third place in the national rankings, as well as a .429 batting average which was 25th overall. The junior finished a stellar season with a 2011 Women’s College World Series Championship victory in Oklahoma City. Her performance earned her a top 3-finalist position for the 2011 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, as well as a First-Team All-American honor. Throughout her sophomore season, Boyd was the leader in nearly every offensive category at some point, regardless of her hand injury, and was named to the USA Softball Junior Team and the All Pac-10 First Team. In 2009, Boyd was the only freshman to start all 66 games of the season, during which she saw 60 RBIs, tied for sixth most in the Sun Devil records.