Katie Kuch from Prairie High School has been named the Metro Spotlight female athlete of the week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday night.

Kuch helped the Hawks reach the Class 5A state softball tournament this season for the first time in school history as their star pitcher. She compiled a 22-9 record and 2.36 ERA, with 120 strikeouts in 205 innings pitched as a senior.

Kuch was honored as the Valley Division Player of the Year in the Mississippi Valley Conference. She was named first team all-Metro and third team all-state.

Prairie won only eight games in 2012, but finished 29-16 this season and placed sixth at the state tournament.

Kuch will attend Wartburg College this year and pitch for the softball team.

Here is our Question-and-Answer session with Kuch:

MSR: What is your favorite moment as an individual athlete in sports?

KATIE: My favorite sports highlight as an individual athlete would definitely be beating Pleasant Valley on their home field in the regional final to make our first trip to the state tournament ever.

MSR: What is your favorite moment as a member of a team?

KATIE: My favorite sports highlight as a member of a team would also be beating Pleasant Valley. The whole team played so well that night. It was such a big accomplishment for our team and showed how hard we had worked to make it that far.

MSR: Who has had the biggest influence on your sports career?

KATIE: My parents and my pitching coach Don Neblung definitely had the biggest impact on my sports career. My parents have always been there for me and supported me throughout my career by getting me where I needed to go and giving me advice. I have worked with my pitching coach since I was 10 years old and he has taught me everything I know. He helped make me the pitcher I am today.

MSR: What are your future goals in sports?

KATIE: My future goals are to help the Wartburg softball team in the upcoming years and keep growing as a player and individual.

MSR: What have been your favorite subjects in school?

KATIE: My favorite subjects in school have always been math and science, and I am planning on continuing studying both of those in the future.

MSR: What has been your favorite community service project?

KATIE: My favorite community service project is helping out at youth softball tryouts and clinics. I love working with the young girls who hope to become softball players in their future. It's great because I was one of them at one time and I love to see the progress they make.