Whitney Kinser's resume as a member of the McDonald County High School softball team reads like an exaggerated job application from a freshly graduated college student.
But Kinser's qualifications are the real thing -- all-district first team (four years); Big 8 all-conference first team (one year); Big 8 all-conference second team (two years); all-region first team (one year); all-region second team (one year); all-state first team (one year); academic all-state (two times) and a member of three conference and district championships.
Kinser's latest addition to her resume is her signing a national letter of intent to play softball at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo.
Kinser signed her letter on Nov. 13, National Signing Day this fall for high school athletes.
"It felt great to sign," Kinser said. "I have wanted to play softball in college for a long time. It was good to sign that paper and get it over with."
Kinser said she selected Lindenwood over several other schools. It is an NCAA school with three teams competing at the Division I level and 24 competing in Division II.
"I went to one of the school's softball camps before school started because my summer coach said I needed to go check them out," Kinser said. "I really liked it. It felt like home to me. The environment was like a family atmosphere and the campus is beautiful."
Kinser hit .444 as a senior third baseman at MCHS with a school-record seven home runs and 34 RBIs in 24 games. She struck out just three times in 81 at-bats.
McDonald County coach Skyler Rawlins has been Kinser's coach all four of her years at MCHS.
"Whitney had a great high school career," Rawlins said. "She has been working hard with an eye to playing college ball and she deserves this opportunity. We are glad to see her continue her softball career and be able to get an education at the same time. Lindenwood is getting a great player and I think they will be very surprised at what they are getting. We wish her all the best."
Kinser is the daughter of Bronnie and Valerie Kinser.
"I would like to thank my mom and dad, brother, Nana and Papa, Coach Rawlins, Coach (Lee) Smith, Coach (Kyle) Smith, Coach (Heath) Alumbaugh, and all the other coaches I've had along the way," she said. "I'm ready to get started. The rest of the school year will probably drag out a little bit."
Sports on 11/21/2019