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Marder Named Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year
Senior catcher is the only three-time All-American in Buckeye softball history
Courtesy: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
June 20, 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Sam Marder, a senior catcher on the Buckeye softball team, has been named the 2009-10 Ohio State Female Athlete of the Year, the department of athletics announced Wednesday. Marder's honor marks the second time a softball player has earned the accolade after OSU Hall of Famer Anna Smith received the distinction in 2002.
In June, the two-time captain garnered her third-career All-America honor, making her the first Buckeye in program history to accomplish such a feat. In addition, Marder was named the team's Most Valuable Player after leading the Big Ten with an .817 slugging percentage and .569 on-base percentage this season. She was walked 61 times, including 18 intentional, while batting .359, scoring 40 runs and recording 45 RBI.
The four-time All-Big Ten and All-Region selection completed her all-star career at Ohio State as the all-time record holder for home runs (61), RBI (191), walks (232) and intentional walks (56). Marder also ranks second with a .384 career batting average, third with 147 runs scored, sixth with 216 hits and 10th with 224 games played.
The decorated catcher played a pivotal role in establishing the Buckeyes as a perennial Top 25 team since she arrived on campus in 2007, helping the squad to three NCAA appearances. In her freshman season, Ohio State won the Big Ten regular-season and tournament title - the team's first regular-season title since 1990.
As a junior, she became just the second two-time All-American in Buckeye history and the first person in the nation, male or female, to receive the Jewish Athlete of the Year award as both a high school and collegiate athlete. That same season, Ohio State advanced to its first NCAA Super Regional after winning three-straight games at Buckeye Field as host of the NCAA Columbus Regional.
At the plate, Marder led the Scarlet and Gray in batting in three seasons and hit the most home runs on the team in each of her four years. In each of her last three seasons, she has ranked in the Top 5 nationally for walks per game and Top 10 for on-base percentage.
Marder's laurels and Buckeye spirit even won her naming rights on a sandwich at the new Ohio Union in 2010. On the menu at Sloopy's Diner in the student union one can find the Sam Marder Turkey Bistro.
In mid-February, her dreams of continuing her softball career beyond Ohio State came true as she was selected in the second round of the NPF Senior Draft by the Akron Racers.
The history major and three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree plans on continuing her education by earning a master's degree in order to pursue a career in coaching.
Marder moves on to the ballot for the Suzy Favor Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year award. The 2009-10 Ohio State Male Athlete of the Year will be announced Thursday.
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