Before picking a college, Bellefontaine’s Caitlyn Shumaker first had to decide which sport she wanted to pursue.
One of the top female athletes in school history, Shumaker has dazzled on the softball field, on the track and on the soccer field during her time as a Chieftain. She is also entering her second year of playing basketball.
In the end, she decided to go with her heart and play collegiate softball. She signed Thursday to compete at the Division I level with Wright State University.
“When I was younger, whichever sport I was playing at the time I could see myself playing that in college,” she said. “But when I started playing travel softball (in middle school) I knew I wanted to play softball in college. Softball has always been my love.”
Shumaker also considered Oakland University in Michigan, but said that Wright State felt like the perfect fit for what she was seeking in a college destination.
“It just felt like home when I visited there,” said Shumaker. “It had the feeling of home. I knew that’s where I wanted to be.”
By the time she graduates, Shumaker will have earned 14 varsity letters. She holds the single-season school goals record in soccer and is a two-time state qualifier and a state placer in track.
In softball, she is as complete as a player can be. She is a stellar defensive player at shortstop, a hitter that hits for both power and a high average and is a dangerous base runner.
“Her overall skills are phenomenal,” said Bellefontaine softball coach Katie Buffkin. “She has already set a lot of our school records. She is also very strong mentally and that’s a huge part of softball.”
As a junior last spring, Shumaker hit a staggering .662. The next best average in the Central Buckeye Conference was .560. She also collected eight doubles, 10 triples, five home runs, 16 RBI and 14 stolen bases.
“Caitlyn has had an amazing three years for us and I can’t wait to see what she does this season,” said Buffkin.
In addition to all the time she spends with sports, Shumaker is a standout student. She has maintained at least a 3.5 GPA throughout her high school career.
She is highly thought of by her peers as a big group of students showed up in the BHS library on Wednesday to witness her signing ceremony.
“Not only is she a great softball player, she is a phenomenal person,” said Buffkin. “She is a great teammate.”
As good as Shumaker is now, she has the potential to be even better at the college level as she will be able to focus on one sport.
“I definitely feel like I can improve my game and having the time to concentrate only on softball will be a big benefit for me,” she said. “I want to work to be the best player I can be.”