Wildwood's Krammer is Ultimate Student-Athlete at Purdue

Whether it was on the softball diamond or in the classroom at Purdue University, Wildwood native Shelby Krammer excelled.

Krammer, a 2007 graduate, recently was named a Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar Award recipient for the second straight year. To make the list, Krammer had to earn a GPA of 3.7 or better for the 2010-2011 academic year.

“It’s a nod in her direction for something that she has worked hard for,” said Monica Tantlinger, an assistant softball coach at Purdue. “It isn’t like she just got lucky. She worked her tail off for that. I’m proud for her, and I’m glad she’s able to get recognized for all the work she put in.”

Krammer also was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team for the third consecutive year. She received the award every year she was eligible. Krammer played four years of softball for the Boilermakers and will graduate from Purdue in December with a degree in accounting.

“Getting achievements has been great, but I have a lot of intrinsic motivation to do it,” Krammer said. “I don’t like to fail. I try to do the best I can in everything I do without necessarily getting the awards.

“The awards are a great bonus, but without them, I believe I still would have done as well as I did.”

Krammer had a breakout senior season for the Boilermakers. She started 42 games, including 33 at the catcher position. She hit for a .276 batting average, and led Purdue in home runs (7), RBIs (31) and doubles (7). The Boilermakers finished the year with a 30-18-2 record.

“Shelby played an integral part to our team successes, not only with wins and losses, but more in just the leadership that she gave,” Tantlinger said.

“I feel like no matter what, when we needed to make sure things were going to happen or something needed to be organized, Shelby was someone we could go to and say, ‘Make sure that gets done.’ And she would. She was so reliable, and I just feel like her leadership, you can’t compare it.”

During her four years at Purdue, Krammer helped the softball team compile a 123-88-2 record. The Boilermakers qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history in 2008, which was Krammer’s freshman season. Purdue made it to the NCAA tourney in 2009 as well.

“Softball was definitely an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything,” Krammer said. “It’s taught me so much about time management (and) leadership.”

Krammer said she is putting both of those traits to the test with her summer internship at General Motors in Detroit. She hopes her internship will lead to a job. But if it doesn’t, Krammer said she will attend a career fair to begin looking for a job elsewhere.

Krammer was born in Kansas City and moved to Wildwood in 1996. At Lafayette, Krammer helped the softball team reach the semifinals of the Class 4 state tournament in 2005. She was an all-State, all-Metro and all-Conference selection in her junior and senior seasons.

Krammer batted .443 with eight home runs and 41 RBIs in her senior season as the Lancers went 22-5. She had a .398 batting average and a team-best 35 RBIs her junior season. She hit .350 her sophomore year. Krammer was also a standout on Lafayette’s track and field team. She finished seventh in the discus throw at the state meet in her junior season, and eighth in the same event her senior season.