Photo by: Eric Evans Photography
Ducks Add All-ACC Catcher Emma Kauf
06/28/23 | Softball
EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon head coach Melyssa Lombardi announced the Ducks have added catcher Emma Kauf from Georgia Tech as a graduate transfer for the 2024 season.
Kauf, a three-time all-ACC honoree, started 51 games and hit .354 to lead the Yellow Jackets in 2023. She had 14 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 33 runs batted in. Kauf's on-base percentage was .446 with a .627 slugging percentage. She also stole 13 bases in 14 attempts.
Kauf, from Lincoln, Neb., has a career batting average of .344 in 175 games. She has nearly 200 career hits – 196 – with 50 doubles, eight triples, 29 home runs and 114 RBI. She also has 28 career stolen bases.
"We are thrilled to welcome Emma to the Duck family," said Lombardi. "Emma has been one of the top catchers nationally over her career. She is an experienced athlete who played against tough competition in the ACC. She is an elite hitter and gives us another lefty in our lineup who can hit for power and average."
Emma Kauf, C (B-L/T-R), Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Southwest HS / Georgia Tech)
Before Oregon: A three-time all-ACC selection at catcher for Georgia Tech … Also a 2022 NFCA Southeast All-Regional second team honoree … Had a career batting average of .344 in 175 games with the Yellow Jackets … 196 career hits with 50 doubles, eight triples, 29 home runs and 114 RBI … Also has 28 career stolen bases … Ranks second in Georgia Tech career doubles … Was an all-ACC second team pick and an ACC all-tournament team selection in 2023 … Started 51 games and hit .354 to lead the Yellow Jackets in 2023 … Had 14 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 33 runs batted in … On-base percentage was .446 with a .627 slugging percentage … Also stole 13 bases in 14 attempts … Was a preseason top-10 catcher and top-100 player nationally by D1 Softball (No. 8/85) and Extra Inning Softball (No. 10/81) … In 2022, named to the NFCA Southeast all-region second team … First Team All-ACC … Ranked No. 104 in D1Softball D150 … Laced 25 doubles on the season, ranking second in the nation, first in the ACC and second in program history in a single season … Led the NCAA in doubles per game (0.45) … Finished as the ACC leader in hits (71), tying for 11th in program history … Led the squad with 22 multi-hit games … Caught 11 runners attempting to steal … Named ACC Player of the Week after a 9-for-12 week with three doubles, a triple and four RBI against UAB and NC State (April 13-16) … in the NC State series, was 7-for-8 with two doubles and a triple … Finished second on the team in batting average (.360) … Tied for the team lead in runs scored (37) … Second on the squad in home runs (6), RBI (37) and slugging percentage (.599) … Went on an 11-game hitting streak (March 30-April 16) and reached base in 18 consecutive games (March 27-April 29) … Started all 56 games for the Yellow Jackets, including 45 at catcher and 11 in the outfield … Tied career-high with four hits against Central Arkansas (Feb. 18), going a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles … Tied career-high four RBI twice, once in a 2-for-4 outing with a home run in a 12-3 run-rule victory over No. 16 Georgia (March 15) and again in a 3-for-5 performance with two doubles in an 8-2 win over Charlotte (April 23) … Had a walk-off RBI single to secure a 3-2 win over Charlotte in the 10th inning … In 2021, appeared in 45 games, starting 44 … Started 36 games at catcher, seven in the outfield and one as DP … Became the first Yellow Jacket to be named both All-ACC First Team and to the ACC All-Freshman Team … Batted .345 with 48 hits, seven doubles, two triples and 10 home runs with 33 RBI and 30 runs scored on the season … Named ACC Player of the Week (Feb. 16) after going 9-for-13 (.692) at the dish with four doubles and two homeruns in the season opening Buzz Classic … Raked a career-high two home runs while going 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored in a 6-4 win over No. 15 Virginia Tech (April 16) … Went on a season-high nine-game hitting streak (March 12-26) … In 2020 (season shortened due to COVID-19 pandemic), started all 23 games … Hit her first career home run in her first collegiate at-bat (vs. UAB) … Led the team in slugging percentage (.566) home runs (6), stolen bases (7) and hits (21), and tied for the team lead with 15 runs scored.
High School: Four-year letterwinner … 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska at Lincoln Southwest High School for coach Mark Watt … Helped Lincoln Southwest to three straight District Championships and a Class A State Championship as a senior in 2018 … 2018 NFCA first team HS All-American (2B) and 2019 NFCA first team HS All-American (Catcher) … 2019 NFCA Diamond Sports HS Catcher of the Year Award … Graduated in 2019 having set the Nebraska All Class single-season runs record (81) and Class A single-season home run record (22) … Set Nebraska career records for All Class in home runs (59), RBI (214) and runs (236) … Broke the Nebraska Class A career record for batting average (.535).
College Honors
2023 ACC All-Tournament Team
2023 All-ACC Second Team
2023 All-ACC Academic Team
2023 CSC Academic All-District
2022 NFCA Southeast All-Region Second Team
2022 All-ACC First Team
2022 All-ACC Academic Team
2022 ACC Player of the Week (4/18/22)
2021 All-ACC First Team
2021 ACC All-Freshman Team
2021 ACC Player of the Week (2/16/21)
2021 All-ACC Academic Team
- www.GoDucks.com -
Kauf, a three-time all-ACC honoree, started 51 games and hit .354 to lead the Yellow Jackets in 2023. She had 14 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 33 runs batted in. Kauf's on-base percentage was .446 with a .627 slugging percentage. She also stole 13 bases in 14 attempts.
Kauf, from Lincoln, Neb., has a career batting average of .344 in 175 games. She has nearly 200 career hits – 196 – with 50 doubles, eight triples, 29 home runs and 114 RBI. She also has 28 career stolen bases.
"We are thrilled to welcome Emma to the Duck family," said Lombardi. "Emma has been one of the top catchers nationally over her career. She is an experienced athlete who played against tough competition in the ACC. She is an elite hitter and gives us another lefty in our lineup who can hit for power and average."
Emma Kauf, C (B-L/T-R), Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln Southwest HS / Georgia Tech)
Before Oregon: A three-time all-ACC selection at catcher for Georgia Tech … Also a 2022 NFCA Southeast All-Regional second team honoree … Had a career batting average of .344 in 175 games with the Yellow Jackets … 196 career hits with 50 doubles, eight triples, 29 home runs and 114 RBI … Also has 28 career stolen bases … Ranks second in Georgia Tech career doubles … Was an all-ACC second team pick and an ACC all-tournament team selection in 2023 … Started 51 games and hit .354 to lead the Yellow Jackets in 2023 … Had 14 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 33 runs batted in … On-base percentage was .446 with a .627 slugging percentage … Also stole 13 bases in 14 attempts … Was a preseason top-10 catcher and top-100 player nationally by D1 Softball (No. 8/85) and Extra Inning Softball (No. 10/81) … In 2022, named to the NFCA Southeast all-region second team … First Team All-ACC … Ranked No. 104 in D1Softball D150 … Laced 25 doubles on the season, ranking second in the nation, first in the ACC and second in program history in a single season … Led the NCAA in doubles per game (0.45) … Finished as the ACC leader in hits (71), tying for 11th in program history … Led the squad with 22 multi-hit games … Caught 11 runners attempting to steal … Named ACC Player of the Week after a 9-for-12 week with three doubles, a triple and four RBI against UAB and NC State (April 13-16) … in the NC State series, was 7-for-8 with two doubles and a triple … Finished second on the team in batting average (.360) … Tied for the team lead in runs scored (37) … Second on the squad in home runs (6), RBI (37) and slugging percentage (.599) … Went on an 11-game hitting streak (March 30-April 16) and reached base in 18 consecutive games (March 27-April 29) … Started all 56 games for the Yellow Jackets, including 45 at catcher and 11 in the outfield … Tied career-high with four hits against Central Arkansas (Feb. 18), going a perfect 4-for-4 with two doubles … Tied career-high four RBI twice, once in a 2-for-4 outing with a home run in a 12-3 run-rule victory over No. 16 Georgia (March 15) and again in a 3-for-5 performance with two doubles in an 8-2 win over Charlotte (April 23) … Had a walk-off RBI single to secure a 3-2 win over Charlotte in the 10th inning … In 2021, appeared in 45 games, starting 44 … Started 36 games at catcher, seven in the outfield and one as DP … Became the first Yellow Jacket to be named both All-ACC First Team and to the ACC All-Freshman Team … Batted .345 with 48 hits, seven doubles, two triples and 10 home runs with 33 RBI and 30 runs scored on the season … Named ACC Player of the Week (Feb. 16) after going 9-for-13 (.692) at the dish with four doubles and two homeruns in the season opening Buzz Classic … Raked a career-high two home runs while going 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored in a 6-4 win over No. 15 Virginia Tech (April 16) … Went on a season-high nine-game hitting streak (March 12-26) … In 2020 (season shortened due to COVID-19 pandemic), started all 23 games … Hit her first career home run in her first collegiate at-bat (vs. UAB) … Led the team in slugging percentage (.566) home runs (6), stolen bases (7) and hits (21), and tied for the team lead with 15 runs scored.
High School: Four-year letterwinner … 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year in Nebraska at Lincoln Southwest High School for coach Mark Watt … Helped Lincoln Southwest to three straight District Championships and a Class A State Championship as a senior in 2018 … 2018 NFCA first team HS All-American (2B) and 2019 NFCA first team HS All-American (Catcher) … 2019 NFCA Diamond Sports HS Catcher of the Year Award … Graduated in 2019 having set the Nebraska All Class single-season runs record (81) and Class A single-season home run record (22) … Set Nebraska career records for All Class in home runs (59), RBI (214) and runs (236) … Broke the Nebraska Class A career record for batting average (.535).
College Honors
2023 ACC All-Tournament Team
2023 All-ACC Second Team
2023 All-ACC Academic Team
2023 CSC Academic All-District
2022 NFCA Southeast All-Region Second Team
2022 All-ACC First Team
2022 All-ACC Academic Team
2022 ACC Player of the Week (4/18/22)
2021 All-ACC First Team
2021 ACC All-Freshman Team
2021 ACC Player of the Week (2/16/21)
2021 All-ACC Academic Team
- www.GoDucks.com -
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