KRISTINE BOTTO DRUST, Class of 1997

KRISTINE BOTTO DRUST
Class of 1997
Inducted in 2007

One of the most versatile female athletes in the history of Lowell High School, Kristine Botto received numerous honors in 3 sports for the Red and Gray before reaching the pinnacle of the collegiate sports world by earning All-American honors in softball at University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

As a member of Coach Suzanne Nelson’s soccer team Kristine was a standout goalie who sometimes stepped onto the field as a forward when needed to supply offense. A three-year varsity performer, Kristine was team Captain and MVP during her senior season (1996).

A versatile member of Coach Jim McGuirk’s indoor track team, Kristine qualified for the State Championship in the 55-meter dash and the high jump. The team Co-Captain, Kristine was also team MVP.

It was as a member of Coach Rick O’Brien’s softball team that Kristine achieved her most significant accomplishments at LHS. A four-year varsity performer, Kristine earned both Lowell Sun and Merrimack Valley Conference All-Star honors as a catcher during both her junior (1996) and senior (1997) seasons. After hitting .303 and stealing 18 bases as a junior, Kristine hit .378 with 4 home runs and 25 stolen bases as a senior. She belted 2 home runs and had 6 RBI in a contest against Andover. Kristine was team Co-Captain and MVP as a senior.

Kristine culminated her LHS career by being named recipient of the prestigious John Beaulieu Award presented to the Outstanding Female Senior Athlete at Lowell High School.

Although not highly recruited during her senior year, Kristine nonetheless went on to become one of the most outstanding softball players in the history of University of Massachusetts at Lowell (UML) after starting her college career as a walk on. While at UML, Kristine was named to both the All-New England Collegiate Conference and NFCA AII-Northeast Region teams in 1999, 2000, and 2001. She earned All-American honors in both 1999 (3rd team) and 2000 (2nd team).

A two-time team Captain (2000 and 2001), Kristine helped lead the River Hawks to the ECAC Division II Championship in 2002. Kristine is listed among the leaders in almost every offensive category at UML, including 1st in career singles (205), career stolen bases (77), and single season stolen bases (33). Kristine was a two-time All-American catcher in college in 1999 and 2000.

After graduation, Kristine played on three national championship softball teams–the Connecticut Classics in 2003, the Stratford Connecticut Brakettes in 2004 and the Lowell-based New England Riptide of the elite National Professional Fastpitch Softball League in 2006.

Kristine has continued her softball career as a highly valued assistant coach at her alma mater University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

Kristine joins her sister-in-law Melissa Burns Botto in the Hall of Fame.

UPDATE: Kristine  coached softball at UMass Lowell, Central Connecticut and Cheshire High School. She was inducted into the Umass Lowell Hall of Fame in 2009.

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