Katie Linke Season 2004

Honors and Awards
2005
Second-Team Academic All-Big 12
Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (Fall)

2004
Julie Geis Memorial Scholarship Recipient

2003
Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (Spring)

2006: Season Outlook

Katie Linke (pronounced LINK-ee) is expected to compete for a starting job throughout the 2006 season. One of the Huskers' top situational hitters over the last two years, Linke's best chance to earn at bats may come as the designated player, a position where she earned 23 starts last season.

Linke hit .234 a year ago and the hard work she put in during the offseason and over her first three years has her poised to produce the best offensive production of her career in her final season.

Linke's production is increased by her patience at the plate. The senior drew a walk every 7.7 at bats last season, helping her post an on-base percentage of .322. In aggressive situations, Linke also produced, going 3-for-4 (.375) with the bases loaded and 11-for-31 (.355) with runners in scoring position.

One of two Lincoln natives on the Husker roster, Linke will also serve as a backup catcher after playing the position for the first time at NU in 2005. In her first season as catcher, Linke was perfect in the field in 29 chances.

2005: Junior Season
Linke hit .234 in 31 games ... saw action as the Huskers’ backup catcher in five games ... went a career-high 3-for-4 and drove in the game-tying run against Iowa State on April 27 ... drove in the game-winning run with a bases loaded pinch-hit walk against Oklahoma State on April 23 ... hit safely in six straight games March 18-23, a career high ... hit safely in each of her five starts at the Kia Klassic March 17-20 and finished with a .333 average (5-for-15) at the tournament, third-best on the team ... drove in three runs and led the team with two doubles while slugging .467 and reaching base at a .412 clip at the Klassic ... posted three multi-hit games ... hit two doubles, which tied her career total ... also posted career highs in walks (10), stolen bases (1), hits (18) and at bats (77) ... had a four-game hitting streak March 5-11 ... was 3-for-3 with four RBIs with the bases loaded on the year ... recorded back-to-back multi-hit games March 11-12 ... drew a career-high two walks and stole her first base in NU's 8-0 victory over Cal State Fullerton on March 19 ... in her first season as catcher, was error-free in 29 chances ... named to the academic All-Big 12 second team.

2004: Sophomore Season
Linke was one of the Huskers' top pinch hitters and also saw time at designated player in 2004 ... played in 30 games ... hit .250 with 10 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .333 ... led the team with 12 pinch-hit at bats, three pinch hits and three pinch-hit RBIs ... drove in the first game-winning RBI of her career in the eighth inning of a 1-0 win at Creighton on March 24 ... also drove in the game-winning run with a fifth-inning single at Texas on April 10 ... went a career-high 3-for-3 against Manhattan on Feb. 21 ... hit first career home run against Oklahoma State on March 27.

2003: Freshman Season
Played in 15 games and started four as Nebraska's designated player ... hit .167 with a double and four RBIs ... best game was against South Carolina Feb. 6, when she entered the game as a pinch-hitter and hit a two-run single that wrapped up a run-rule victory for the Huskers.

High School
Linke was a four-year letterwinner while playing shortstop and third base for Coach Kari Amen at Lincoln Northeast High School ... earned all-conference honors on the Rockets’ city championship team ... earned Lincoln Journal Star Academic All-State honors ... also received academic all-conference honors in 2001 and 2002 ... was also named to the Journal Star All-City team ... earned honorable-mention all-state accolades from both the Journal Star and the Omaha World-Herald ... played summer ball for Coach Scott Schneider and the Swingers, who finished ninth at the 2000 AFA Nationals and fifth at the 2001 USSSA Nationals ... won four batting titles, hitting .398 in 1998, .355 in 1999, .399 in 2000 and .379 in 2001 ... was also awarded two letters as a member of Northeast’s track and field team ... competed at the Nebraska state meet in 2001 and 2002, was named the Northeast Female Track Athlete of the Year ... member of the honor roll for seven semesters ... member of the National Honor Society ... was a recipient of the Presidents Award for Educational Excellence ... volunteered at the Lincoln Children’s Museum and was a member of her church youth council.

Coach Revelle on Linke
"Katie has gained an inner confidence over the last year that will be her greatest asset during this season. She is a powerful hitter who has great hand-eye coordination and combined with her quiet confidence at the plate, expect Katie to figure into our offensive scheme in a big way in 2006."