Katie Debus
Katie Debus
  • Title:
    Softball
  • Year Inducted:
    2018
  • Transfer/Graduation Date:
    1989

Bio

KATIE JOYCE DEBUS graduated from Mount Miguel High School in 1987. A talented athlete, she played left field and second base on the school’s championship softball team. A true competitor, she helped her team reachthe CIF tournament during her senior year while being selected to the All-CIF tournament team.

In the fall of 1987, Katie came to Southwestern College to play for Hall of Fame Head Softball Coach Pam Stone. An outstanding outfielder, Katie had an exceptional arm and speed as she roamed the outfield taking away a possible home run or throwing a runner out at the plate. With her above average physicalskills and “a really high softball I.Q,” Katie was a formidable force in the Jaguar outfield. Other conference coaches saw her outstanding ability and selected her for the All-Mission Conference Softball team.

Katie was offered a full-ride athletic scholarship at Kent State University in Ohioand attended the college from 1989 to 1991. With her help in the outfield, the team won the Mid-American Conference Championship, the NCAA Regional Championship and played in the NCAA Softball World Series. Katie graduated from Kent State with a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Psychology. Guided by her caring personality and leadership skills, she returned home and worked for three years for NewAlternatives, a facility for troubled youth, and another four years for a skilled nursingfacility as a discharge planner.

Married to John Debus, she stopped working in 1998 and became a stay-at-home mom for Hannah, Abigail and Johnny, her three children. Presently, she is involved with the youth ministry at her church and is also a volunteer teaching assistant at her children’s school.

Although she spent a lot of time in the training room getting her shin splints taped, Katie loved her softball experience at Southwestern College. She particularly
remembers Head Athletic Trainer Jim Hammond who gave her amazing tape job seven though she had to ignore his daily intake of garlic and carrot juice.

Congratulations Katie Joyce Debus for your outstanding achievements as a
student-athlete. It is a distinct honor to induct you into the Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame, Class of 2018.