CHICAGO, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympic gold medalist and pitcher extraordinaire Cat Osterman has signed a multiyear agreement with Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Effective October 2006, Osterman will serve as an ambassador to the Wilson brand, representing Wilson ball gloves, DeMarini Fastpitch bats and ATEC training equipment. Osterman will also help with the design of new Wilson and DeMarini equipment including a signature line of Cat Osterman fastpitch gear. In representing the Wilson brand, Osterman joins the ranks of well-known Wilson Advisory Staff members including David Wright, Roger Federer, Serena and Venus Williams, Kerri Walsh and Padraig Harrington.
"I'm thrilled to be the newest member of the Wilson family," says Osterman. "I'm impressed by the performance of Wilson and DeMarini equipment, and I'm looking forward to being part of their growth in the fastpitch world."
Pitching for the USA Softball Women's National Team, Osterman was the youngest member to win gold at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and recently led the team to victory at the 2006 World Cup of Softball and the 2006 Softball World Championship. Pitching for the University of Texas at Austin from 2002- 2006, Osterman established the current NCAA Division I career strikeout record (2,265) as well as the Big 12 records for Pitcher of the Week (25) and Pitcher of the Year (4). In her NCAA career, she pitched 10 perfect games and 20 no- hitters, receiving two ESPY Awards in 2005, one in 2006, and the Honda Award in both 2005 and 2006. Osterman was also recognized in 2003, 2005 and 2006 as the USA Softball College Player of the Year.
"Cat Osterman is today's premier softball player and one of the world's top performers in team sports. She plays with incredible determination and athleticism and has earned the respect and adulation of the softball world," says Wilson Director of Baseball James Hackett. "Wilson is committed to fastpitch softball, and working with Cat to improve our products and move the sport forward is a true honor."
"Cat is a world-class pitcher who has inspired everyone in fastpitch with her dominance and championship performance," says Wilson Fastpitch Business Manager Venus Taylor. "I'm extremely excited about this partnership, and I feel that our shared commitment to the game and desire to be the best will prove the perfect fit as we move forward in fastpitch."
Established in 1989, DeMarini Sports took the bat industry by storm with the world's first high-tech softball bat. Acquired by Wilson Sporting Goods in 2000, the company continues to research, design and build high-performance softball and baseball bats in its state-of-the-art Hillsboro, Oregon facility.
Chicago-based Wilson Team Sports Company, a division of Amer Sports, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of sports equipment. The company designs, manufactures and distributes advanced equipment that helps players improve performance. Wilson's core categories include Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Bats, Volleyball, Soccer, Youth Sports, Uniforms/Apparel, Golf, Footwear, and Racquet Sports (Tennis, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton and Platform Tennis).
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