Callista Balko

Callista Jo Balko (born April 4, 1986)[1] is an American, former collegiate right-handed hitting pro softball catcher and second basemen, originally from Tucson, Arizona. She played for the Arizona Wildcats softball team from 2005–08 and won back-to-back National Championships for the Wildcats. She is the Pac-12 Conference career leader in putouts. She is currently a college athletics administrator.

Career

Born in Tucson, Arizona, Balko graduated from Canyon del Oro High School in nearby Oro Valley in 2004.[1]

At the University of Arizona, Balko played at catcher for the Arizona Wildcats softball team from 2005 to 2008. Balko debuted on February 4, 2005 against the Tulsa Hurricanes, collecting a hit and walk in her first game.[2] As part of the team that won the 2006 Women's College World Series, Balko helped the Wildcats into the finals by helping drive in a run off National Player of The Year Cat Osterman on June 2; her hit was the first and only in 10 at bats against the southpaw, 9 of which had ended in strikeouts. In the championship finale on June 6, Balko had two hits including a double and drove in 2 RBIs for the school's sixth title.[3] For the 2007 Women's College World Series finale, Balko tallied a hit against 2007 National Player of the Year Monica Abbott as the Wildcats defeated Tennessee 5-0 on June 6.[4][5] Balko singled in her last appearance on May 31, 2008 in a loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide at that year's World Series.[6][7][8][9]

In January 2008, Balko was named to the watchlist for USA Softball National Player of the Year.[10]

Balko is also a World University Games member and an Olympic Camp Tryout Invitee. Balko was signed as an undrafted free agent by the National Pro Fastpitch team Washington Glory, and had her debut for the team in June 2008.[11] After a few months on the term, she returned to Tucson.[12]

In January 2012, Balko became Alumni Letterwinners Development Assistant with the University of Arizona athletics department. She later became Director of Regional Development.[13]

Personal life

In 2015, Balko married Ricky Elmore, an NFL defensive end who played college football at Arizona.[14]

Statistics

Arizona Wildcats
YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
2005 51 146 12 30 .205 23 5 1 7 54 .370% 18 50 0 0
2006 65 178 26 48 .269 44 13 0 7 94 .528% 34 65 3 4
2007 65 186 31 43 .231 32 10 0 3 76 .408% 22 55 4 5
2008 57 160 31 42 .262 39 15 1 10 99 .618% 29 53 0 2
TOTALS 238 670 100 163 .243 138 43 2 27 323 .482% 103 223 7 11

References
  1. "Player Bio: Callista Balko". ArizonaWildcats.com. University of Arizona. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  2. "#2 Arizona at Tulsa" (PDF). Tulsahurricane.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  3. "# 13 NORTHWESTERN WILDCAT (50-15) -VS- # 1 ARIZONA WILDCATS (54-11)". Arizonawildcats.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  4. "# 5 TENNESSEE (63-8) -VS- # 1 ARIZONA (50-14-1)". Arizonawildcats.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  5. "UA's Balko never balked about catching situation". Arizona Daily Star. June 8, 2006. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  6. "Cats Downed, Out of WCWS". Arizonawildcats.com. 2008-05-31. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  7. "Arizona Softball Record Book" (PDF). Arizonawildcats.com. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  8. "Pac-12 Conference 2020 Softball Media Guide". E-digitaleditions.com. Retrieved 2010-08-24.
  9. "Division I Records" (PDF). Ncaa.org. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  10. "Balko, Mowatt put on softball's top player list". Tucson Citizen. January 31, 2008. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  11. "Taryne Mowatt, Callista Balko & Cambria Miranda Make Their Glory Debut". Our Sports Central. June 19, 2008. Retrieved March 10, 2010.("University of Arizona stand-outs Pitcher Taryne Mowatt and Catcher Callista Balko, and utility stand-out player Cambria Miranda, formerly of Oregon State University, don their Washington Glory uniforms for the very first time at home tonight, as the Glory face the Venezuelan Olympic Team")
  12. Greg Hanson (August 20, 2009). "After stint as pro, Balko at Next Level". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
  13. "Callista Elmore". ArizonaWildcats.com. University of Arizona. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  14. Hansen, Greg (September 6, 2015). "Callista Balko marries former UA defensive end". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved June 27, 2018.


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