A Diamond in the Rough: UTC's Nicole Osterman

" Sometimes we don't take the time to look into the kids heart and see the determination to succeed which is there."

UTC Softball Coach Frank Reed on Senior Nicole Osterman

 

Today is most likely Nicole Osterman’s most memorable day in her life.

Dressed in cap and gown, the UTC softball player walked across the stage this morning to grasp that long -awaited diploma and will participate in Senior Night today at Frost Stadium as UTC hosts Samford at 7 p.m.

The Mocs (31-11, 11-3 in SoCon) need two victories this weekend (Sunday doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.) to clinch the Southern Conference title.

Tears will be flowing and cries of joy will be part of the day for the 21-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y.

native – she turns 22 May 6 - who has proven so many people wrong who doubted she would ever be much of a success in life.

She entered UTC in the winter of 2014 transferring from Miami Dade Junior College with solid softball skills – all state at Osceola (Fla.) High School – but struggled with academic discipline.

“Coming here to UTC, I struggled in the classroom, had no organizational skills and would finish my homework at the last minute,” said Osterman.

But with hard work and help from academic tutors and UTC softball coach Frank Reed, the four year transformation has been nothing less than remarkable as she graduates with honors in criminal justice with a 3.8 grade point average and earned six A’s and a B this semester.

“I am happy for myself and what I have accomplished and graduating from UTC is so special as I have proven so many people wrong who did not believe in me and told me I would never graduate,” said Osterman who also excels on the diamond with a .324 batting average, leads the Mocs in home runs (12) and RBIs (40) and has made only one error as a starting outfielder in all 42 games (31-11).

“But the people here at UTC did believe in my through all the tough times.”

And the tough times translated into academic problems which led to being ineligible for two years, but she has stayed the course and has a bright future in the field of law enforcement.

What's Next After College: “My ideal job would be working for the government as a district attorney so a job with border patrol early on might speed up my goals to be a D.A. rather than working for the police department in New York City or Orlando,” stated Osterman whose dad, Herminio Diaz, will also have a diploma for the family wall as he finishes his residency in about a week at SUNY Univ. in New York.

From Brooklyn to Orlando to Chattanooga:

Osterman moved to the Orlando area from Brooklyn (Coney Island) as an early teen and said that after her junior college coach (Carlos Caro) left Miami Dade in the fall of her freshman year (fall, 2011), she took his advice and transferred sight unseen to UTC to play for coach Reed.

“I am a big city girl from Brooklyn so there was a pretty good adjustment for me early on coming to a mid-sized city as Chattanooga, but it is really beautiful here and I am glad I listened to my coach in Florida and came to UTC.”

She has also listened to coach Reed through the tough times and now is a college graduate.

“Nicole is the epitome of what you can do with determination and hard work,” said coach Reed.

“Many people would have given up long ago if they had had to go through the academic struggles and ineligibility Nicole faced.

“I encouraged her to stay the course and get that degree and she has persevered and kept getting up when another knock down would occur.”

As Osterman prepares for Senior Night tonight with family here to support her, another Southern Conference title and championship ring would be a great complement to that degree she earned with all the attributes and skills many felt she didn’t have.

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net