Lindsay Gardner

Head Coach
512-448-8494
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Lindsay Gardner takes the riens begins her first season as Head Softball Coach on the Hilltop, as she takes over for the 2012 season.of the Hilltopper softball program as the sixth head softball coach in the university's history. Gardner in not new to the hilltop: she served as assistant coach in 2007 and 2008 helping the Hilltopper coaching staff earn the honor of NFCA South Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year in 2008. She played a vital role in the Hilltoppers' back-to-back appearances in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament, a third place finish at the 2008 NCAA World Series and a school record for wins with a 53-17 record in 2008. Success is a way of life for Gardner, who brings a palpable passion and a wealth of experience to the hilltop. 

A native of Katy, Texas, Gardner graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. While at UT, her defensive efforts at second base, as well as her protective offense, played a key role in the success of the Longhorn softball program which included a third place finish in 2003 College World Series. Big XII Regular Season Champions (2002 and 2003) and Big XII Tournament Champions (2002 and 2003). Gardner earned a plethora of honors as a Longhorn to include NCAA All-American and Easton All-American (2000). NFCA First Team All-Midwest Region (2000 and 2002), NFCA Regional All-Tournament Team (2003), Big XII Freshman of the Year (2000), Big XII All-Conference Tournament Team (2000, 2002 and 2003). Big XII All Confernce Team (2000,2002 and 2003). Gardner has the stats to back up her honors.She led the Big XII in batting average (.519) and set single season records for batting average (.421) and hits (83) in 2000. She also finished her career in the top ten of 17 UT offensive categories including school record totals in batting average (.421), hits (239), runs scored (134), stolen bases (61, now 2nd place behind Desiree Williams with 62) and toughest to strikeout (14.89).

Gardner pent two-and-a-half years playing for the USA National team from 2001 to 2003 where she was in the top five in batting average (.375) while playing second base and left filed. After her career with the U.S. Team, she played five seasons in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league with the Texas Thunder and the Rockford Thunder from 2004 to 2008. Gardner was the first ever NPF Player of the Week, as well as Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 when the Rockford Thunder were regular season champions. She was named to the NPF All-Star Team three times, and finished her career in 2008 after leading the team in RBI production and holding a .986 fielding percentage at second base. At the 2008 NPF Finals, Gardner won the first ever Battle of the Bants Homerun Derby, sending 30 balls over the fence after three rounds.

Just prior to returning to the hilltop, Gardner served as the co-founder/head coach of Platinum Softball which was designed to give young women the tools and positive environment necessary to facilitate successful development in all aspects of their lives. 

Gardner resides in Pflugerville, Texas, and when not coaching she enjoys photography and music.

Cat Osterman

Assistant Coach
512-428-1049
Send me an e-mail.

Cat Osterman begins her first season as Assistant Softball Coach on the Hilltop. She will handle the pitching staff and contribute to the team's mental approach.

A native of Houston, Texas, Osterman graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. While at UT, Osterman was a three-time National Player of the Year and four-time All-American. The only softball individual to ever win National Player of the Year honors three times, she paced the Longhorns to three trips to the Women's College World Series (2003, 2005 and 2006) while earning USA Softball's National Player of the Year honor in each of those three seasons. During her redshirt season of 2004, Osterman trained with the USA National Team as the only collegian and youngest member of the Olympic Team that earned a gold medal in Athens. A three-time selection as Big 12 Conference Female Athlete of the Year (2003, 2005 and 2006), she still holds UT career records in victories (136), ERA (0.51), shutouts (85) and no-hitters (20) and holds the NCAA record for career strikeout ratio per seven innings (14.35). Osterman was a recipient of the NCAA Today's Top VIII Award in 2006, an honor presented to the top eight senior student-athletes in the country.

Osterman pitched for the USA National Team from 2001-2010 appearing in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Team USA took home the Gold in 2004 and finished with the Silver Medal in 2008. In her 10-year career with Team USA, Osterman held a 59-4 record with 0.38 ERA. She struck out an amazing 832 batters in just 425.2 innings of work.

Osterman cometed four seasons in the National Pro Fastpitch (NFP) League. She played for the Rockford Thunder in 2007 and 2009 and the USSSA Pride for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Osterman led the Thunder to the league championship in 2009 earning MVP of the championship series. The very next season, she led the Pride to the 2010 championship. Osterman was named to the All-NFP team twice and was recently named Diamond NPF Co-Pitcher of the Year for 2011. In her four-year career in the NPF, Ostermanhas a 32-9 record with a 0.83 ERA and also has 466 strikeouts in just 278.0 innings pitched.

Osterman served as a student assistant coach at Texas in 2007 while finishing her undergraduate degree. From there, she moved to DePaul University where she was assistant coach from 2008 to 2010. She helped lead the Lady Blue Demons to three-straight Big East Championships, two NCAA Regional appearances and a 129-50 record.

Osterman resides in Austin, Texas