Schmit commits to UIC

One unofficial visit to the University of Illinois-Chicago and Coryn Schmit made the call without hesitation.

She's used to making important decisions, in truth.

A standout starting catcher for Lake Zurich's varsity since her sophomore year, Schmit will sign a national letter of intent with UIC next month to continue her education and softball career.

It remains to be seen whether she'll get the chance in college to call her own games, something she's done her whole career at Lake Zurich but something most high school catchers don't get the privilege of doing.

"I think it's kind of fun to read the batters and different situations," Schmit said. "I definitely like the challenge of reading batters' swings and trying to figure out what pitch will strike them out."

UIC, which plays Division I softball in the Horizon League and went 24-33 last season, named former Olympic gold medalist Michelle Venturella its new head coach in June. An associate head coach at the University of Iowa the last six years, Venturella impressed Schmit, as did new assistants Brooke Monroe and Amanda Scott.

Schmit had taken an official visit to Loyola the previous week and said she was offered a scholarship. Once she checked out UIC and its bigger campus, however, she gave her verbal commitment to Venturella.

"I really like the coach's philosophy, and I think the team is moving in the right direction," Schmit said.

Schmit has helped Lake Zurich win the North Suburban Conference championship the last two years, earning both all-conference and all-area honors in the process. She hit a team-best .382 last season with her 39 hits including 8 doubles, 3 triples and 4 home runs. Defensively, she made only 1 error.

She's also played for the Stone City Sharks summer travel program out of Minooka the last two years. In August, Schmit, the starting catcher, helped her 18U gold travel team take second place at the NAFA nationals in Louisiana. Before catching on with Stone City, the catcher played two years for the 14U Lake Zurich Lightning.

Schmit owns a 4.05 grade-point average (4.0 scale), scored a 29 on her ACT and is a member of National Honor Society. She's considering studying psychology or education at UIC.

"I'm real excited," she said of her future at UIC. "Once I saw UIC, I was pretty much convinced."

She's confident, as always, that she made the right call.