Rachel Karos was recently recognized for her outstanding season with Second Team All-Midwest Region honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The senior third baseman is the first Eastern player to earn all-region honors since teammate Sandyn Short was named a second team selection following her freshman season in 2004.

Karos’ hard work and great play has done much to endear her to teammates and coaches. Karos says that she feels like all of her teammates are her best friends and the coaches brought a lot to the table in terms of bettering the team. Many of Karos teammates and coaches feel that she possesses many of the qualities of a great player.

“Few people realize that Rachel hits for average, power, on-base percentage, steals and definitely is one of the best defensive third basemen,” said Eastern head coach Kim Schuette.

Karos led the team in batting average (.362), hits (67), runs scored (36), slugging (.508) and on-base percentage (.438). Karos was the only Eastern player to start every game at the same position for the second straight season and was also able to post career bests in doubles (9), triples (3), home runs (4) and stolen bases (15) this past season.

Karos also put up great stats defensively as well. Karos committed only six errors in 266 chances and registered an Eastern single-season record 174 defensive assists.

According to Karos, she spent her first two years at Eastern playing basketball, but it became too hard for her to continue playing after a family tragedy.

“I lost my brother like a year before school started, and he was always a big part of me playing basketball. It got really hard playing without him,” Karos said.

Karos says she quit basketball her sophomore year and sat around for a while before she decided to play softball. Karos had played softball in high school so she was familiar with the sport, and her statistics show it worked out not only for her but for Eastern as well.

Karos says being named second team was a surprise for her but she felt honored and it was a good way to go out for her final season. Karos’ teammates feel she is deserving of the honors because she is such a great athlete and almost irreplaceable.

“She’s a really hard worker and she’s really good at what she does, and I have yet to see a third baseman better than she is,” said teammate Katy Steele.

Karos’ teammates say that playing without her will be difficult. They feel that Karos will be missed, both because of her personality and her play on the field.

“As a player she is very aggressive, and as a friend she will do anything for anybody. She is a very, very caring person, she doesn’t like to see anybody upset,” said catcher Nicole Eichelberger.

Karos finished her career at Eastern among the all-time leaders in doubles (26), homeruns (6), runs scored (87) and stolen bases (20).

Karos will graduate Eastern with a major in physical education and a minor in health. Karos will student teach in the fall, and then she will be able to graduate. She hopes to teach either physical education or health after graduation.