Kaili Saathoff ’25 is a force on the field, in the classroom and the community
Since arriving at Linfield, Kaili Saathoff ’25 has compiled a rare resume of all-around accomplishment.
The list starts with Saathoff receiving what is considered the highest scholarly honor for an NCAA Division III softball student-athlete last spring. That’s when she was named the 2024 Softball Academic All-American of the Year by the College Sports Communicators organization. The Philomath native is only Linfield’s third two-time CSC Academic All-American in any sport and only the second Linfield athlete ever to be accorded CSC’s prestigious Academic All-American of the Year award, joining volleyball’s Lindsay Harksen ’06 in 2005.
Equally impressive, Saathoff became the first repeat winner of the Elite 90 Award for Division III softball, awarded to the top scholar from competing institutions at each of the NCAA’s 90 national championship events.
Now in her seventh semester at Linfield, Saathoff maintains a perfect 4.0 grade-point average while pursuing a double major in mathematics and physics.
Classroom studies, she says, are especially exciting when course content blends together math and physics, opening her eyes to entirely new ways of understanding the world.
“Even if I don’t know an answer, let’s see how far I can get to find the answer,” she says. “Rather than focusing on the correct answers, it’s more the process to getting there.”
She seemingly has the answers on the field. Starting 52 of Linfield’s 54 softball games at first base last spring, Saathoff hit .479 with 23 doubles and 43 runs batted in. She scored 71 runs and added 18 stolen bases for good measure. During Linfield’s dominant 40-game regular season, in which the Wildcats became just the second college softball program to go unbeaten, Saathoff batted .504. She was the only conference player to hit over .500.
“Growing up, my parents always told me ‘You’re a student-athlete, [but] the student comes first.’ I focus on that, and athletics is kind of my reward … I’m here to be a student.”
–Kaili Saathoff ’25
She contributes to Linfield’s student culture as a member of the Students Advocating for Gender Equity club, as a leader within Residence Life and as a member of several student clubs, all while aiding fellow students as a tutor and teacher assistant in the math and physics departments.
“Growing up, my parents always told me ‘You’re a student-athlete, [but] the student comes first.’ I focus on that, and athletics is kind of my reward … I’m here to be a student. I’m here to learn and then graduate and go on to earn my Ph.D. in physics.
“I haven’t entirely determined which area I’m most interested in,” she added. “I would love to either work as a professor for a university and teach the next generation while continuing research, or I would like to work for NASA.”
THE SAATHOFF FILE
2024 Offensive Statistics
- At bats: 165
- Hits: 79
- Batting Average: .479
- Runs Scored: 71
- 2B: 23
- 3B: 3
- HR: 1
- RBI: 43
- SB: 18
- SB Attempts: 18
- On-Base Pct.: .569
- Slugging Pct.: .673
- Fielding Pct.: .996
- Walks: 31
- Strikeouts: 13
Single-season achievements, awards and honors from the 2024 season
Led Linfield to a 50-4 record (second-most wins in program history) and a third-place finish at the NCAA Championship…her .479 batting average and .579 on-base percentage each rank fourth in single-season program history.
National and conference achievements, awards and honors during 2024
NCAA Division III co-leader in hits (79)…ranked fifth nationally in runs scored per game (1.37)…led NWC in average (.479), hits (79), doubles (23), on-base pct. (.569)…led team to victories in first 44 games as Linfield became just the second college softball program to record an unbeaten regular season.
Career achievements, awards and honors
2023 and 2024 Second Team NFCA All-American…two-time Elite 90 Award recipient…two-time first team Northwest Conference and two-time first team Region X all-star…in Linfield’s career record book, ranks second all-time for batting average (.439) and on-base percentage (.526).
Academic activities and achievements, awards and honors
2024 Academic All-America Team Member of the Year…2023 and 2024 Academic All-American…perfect 4.00 GPA through six semesters with double majors in Mathematics and Physics….two-time Elite 90 Award recipient honoring the top scholar in NCAA Championship competition.
Community service activities
Member of Linfield’s Student Advocates for Gender Equity Club, encouraging gender equity at Linfield and in the community… member of Linfield’s Residence Hall Association (RHA)… member of Linfield’s Math and Physics Club… tutor and teacher assistant in the math and physics departments.
