Sports

Baldwin's Kelly Kovach '91 Enters WPIAL Hall of Fame

Three-sport star helped the Highlanders to win numerous WPIAL and state titles in the late '80s and early '90s.

To say that alumna Kelly Kovach '91 Schoenly was a versatile athlete would be quite the understatement.

Kovach, a sixth-year head softball coach at NCAA Division I Miami University (OH), starred for Baldwin in three sports during her time at the high school, winning numerous WPIAL and PIAA (state) titles and creating countless memories.

Kovach added another memory on Thursday when WPIAL officials released the identities of its 2012 Hall of Fame Class, which included the former Highlander.

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The WPIAL's Hall of Fame biography of Kovach reads as follows:

"Kovach had a 'golden' career at Baldwin. She was a four-year starter in softball and basketball and a three-year starter in volleyball. The (Pittsburgh) Post-Gazette (Girls) Athlete of the Year in 1991, Kovach was the ace pitcher on three consecutive WPIAL championship softball teams.

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"She was also a member of volleyball teams that won two WPIAL and two state titles. Her most dominating sport was softball, where she had a 53-5 career record with a 0.48 ERA and a .463 career batting average.

"She went on to become an All-American pitcher at the University of Michigan and was a two-time Big Ten Conference Pitcher of the Year."

With two wins by Miami on Thursday, Kovach is tied for that program's career coaching victories record.

Other members of the WPIAL's 2012 Hall of Fame class include University of Arizona head men's basketball coach Sean Miller (Blackhawk High School), Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker () and noted golfer Frank Fuhrer III (Fox Chapel Area High School), among others.

The 2012 induction ceremony will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Green Tree Borough on June 1.

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