Olympic Medalist and three-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, Cat Osterman is in her second year as an assistant softball coach on the Blue Demon staff.

"Cat is obviously a great addition to our staff," Lenti said.  "To have a player of her caliber who has experienced success at the level she has, be a member of our coaching staff will only help take our program to a higher level.

“Cat is mentally and technically one of the best pitchers in the world, and to have DePaul's pitchers learn from the best will only enhance our ability to teach and coach. Our team is thrilled to know they will be working with Cat in the fall. It should also make an immediate impact on recruiting," Lenti added.

Although traveling with the Olympic team during her first season, Osterman made her impact immediately felt as the Blue Demon pitchers registered the 24th lowest ERA (1.62) in the country.  With consistency in the circle, All-American Becca Heteniak struck out a school-record 315 batters and tied a school record with 33 victories.  Heteniak was named the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year and earned BIG EAST Championship MVP honors.

A fixture on the USA Softball scene since 2001, she brought home a silver medal from Beijing in 2008 and helped the national team to its second World Cup Gold Medal and won Gold at the Pan American Games in Brazil in 2007. 

"I am extremely happy to begin this phase of my career under one of the most respected coaches in the game, Eugene Lenti," Osterman said.  "DePaul is a great program that consistently makes appearances at the World Series.

As the youngest player on the 2004 Olympic team, Osterman appeared in three games, registering a 0.00 ERA with 23 strikeouts.  Prior to competing in Athens, she was a perfect 16-0 in the pre-Olympic tour, recording 170 strikeouts in 74.2 innings of work.

The only collegiate player to win the USA Softball Player of the Year award three times, she led Texas to the Women's College World Series in 2003, 2005 and 2006.  Osterman finished her playing career as the NCAA’s all-time leader in strikeouts (2,265) and strikeouts per seven (14.34) innings and twice received the Honda Award for Softball.  She was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year in each of her four seasons with the Longhorns and was named the conference's Female Athlete of the Year three times.

After finishing her career in a Texas uniform, the four-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American spent one season with Texas head coach Connie Clark as her student assistant.

Osterman was the first overall pick in the 2006 National Pro Fastpitch draft and is currently on the Rockford (Illinois) Thunder roster.

Osterman was the head coach of both the Austin Storm’s 14 and under and 16 and under teams from 2002-06 while she was also an assistant coach in the organization’s 18 and under team in 2007.

Osterman has also given private pitching lesson since 2001 and worked alongside Olympic pitcher Michelle Smith at her pitching camps since 2006. 

Osterman received her undergraduate degree in psychology and minor in business foundations from Texas in May.  She resides in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.