Outlook

Kate Ediger is a gamer and proven and talented returner from 2023 ... One of the team's top hitters last season and a main stat at first base ...  Her love for the game is apparent when she plays … Can really crush the ball … A very smart player and demonstrated the ability to adapt to various situations … Good teammate … Expectations are high and she could have a huge impact on team’s success again in 2024. 

Freshman Year 2023  

Earned All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference D-II and Region 6/Plains District first-team … Batted .448 (56-for-125) with 13 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 27 runs scored and 49 RBI … Led the team in both hits and RBI, and was second in doubles and home runs … Her 49 RBI ranked sixth in the conference … Produced 15 multiple-hit and a team-best 13 multiple-RBI games … Opened the season with two doubles and four RBI in a 9-4 win over Iowa Central (3-5-23) … Tripled, drove in a run and scored in a 3-1 win over Indian Hills (3-15-23) … Doubled twice and drove in three runs in a 9-0 win over nationally ranked Kirkwood (3-28-23) … That started a nine-game hitting streak … Had a single, home run and two RBI in an 11-9 loss at St. Louis (4-1-23) … Belted a two-run homer in a 3-2 win at Cloud County (4-6-23) … Batted .462 (12-for-26) with seven doubles, two home runs, four runs and nine RBI over the streak … Immediately followed with an 11-game hitting streak in which she batted .629 (22-for-35) with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, eight runs scored and 15 RBI … The first six games of the streak she was 12-for-15 with 11 RBI highlighted by a 3-for-3 day with a grand slam home run in a 9-1 win over Neosho County (4-13-23) … That effort earned her the KJCCC D-II Player of the Week for week 10 … Two days later drove in four runs with two singles and a double in a 13-2 win at Independence (4-15-23) … Blasted a two-run homer in the second game against the Pirates, a 4-1 win … Went 5-for-5 with two RBI and two runs in a 14-3 win at Highland (4-22-23) … Her five hits were a team high for a game, and tie the second-most hits in a game in team history … Produced a seven-game hitting streak at the end of April and early May … Batted .591 (13-for-22) over the streak with one double, 10 runs and 11 RBI … In a doubleheader sweep at Coffeyville, went 4-for-7 with three runs and four RBI … Capped the streak with a 3-for-3 effort, including a double, two runs and six RBI in an 11-3 win over Labette in the first round of the Region 6/Plains District A Tournament (5-11-23) … Her six RBI were two shy of the single-game mark, and tie for the eight-best game in team history.

High School  

Was a three-year starter for coach Sherry Ball at Paola High School, Paola, Kan. … Did not play her sophomore year due to the COVID-19 pandemic … Graduated 2022 …  Rated the 86th best player in the state of Kansas by MaxPreps.com as a senior … Earned All-State honorable mention as a senior … Was a three-time All-Tri-County first-team selection and a two-time All-Frontier League performer … Hit .339 with 20 hits, five doubles, 16 runs scored and nine RBI while helping the Panthers to a regional title as a freshman … As a junior batted .587 with 27 hits, eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, 19 runs scored and 32 RBI … Capped her career hitting .403 with 25 hits, six doubles, two triples, two home runs, 25 runs plated and 16 driven in … Was a four-year starter in basketball … Averaged 20 points and 5.8 rebound per game which earned her the Tri-County Spotlight Girls Player of the Year her senior season … Also garnered All-State second-team, All-Frontier League first-team and All-Tri-County first-team … Poured in a game-high 29 points to lead Paola to a 58-55 win over Baldwin during her senior campaign … Twice awarded letters in track and field … Qualified for the State Championships in the shot put as a junior and in the shot put and discus her senior year, and placed ninth in the shot put.

Personal  

Born Kate Lauren Ediger on November 21, 2003, in Olathe, Kan. … Daughter of John and Allison Ediger … Has a sister Abby … Her father played college football at Hutchinson and her mother was an All-American catcher at JCCC and went to play at Auburn … Major is undecided … Also recruited by Baker University, Benedictine College, Oklahoma Wesleyan University and Highland Community College … Favorite fast food restaurant is Chipotle … Favorite restaurant is Nick & Jake’s … Favorite TV show is Bachelor in Paradise … Favorite movie is The Notebook … Favorite sports movie is King Richard … Favorite actress is Melissa McCarthy … Favorite book is Where the Red Fern Grows … Favorite music entertainer is Luke Bryan … Favorite cartoon character is Bugs Bunny … Favorite athlete is OU and NCAA all-time home runs leader Jocelyn Alo … Favorite sports team is the Kansas City Chiefs … Greatest sports moment was hitting for a cycle her junior year … Best player she has played against is former Eudora and current Baker pitcher Kira Baker.