correction
A previous version of this article misstated that McNamara was the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I softball champion last spring. O'Connell was the champion in that division.
It’s 4 a.m. on a Monday, and Katie Kutz is already out of bed and working up a sweat. After 25 minutes of at-home cardio, she drives 20 minutes to the gym and lifts weights for an hour before heading to Bishop O’Connell for a typical day of high school.
For Kutz, the ace on O’Connell’s defending state champion softball team, it’s vital to stick to a routine. In her team’s first seven games, the junior had produced 109 strikeouts and pitched three no-hitters, going 7-0. And while she is already committed to Oklahoma State, softball is not the sole purpose for her daily, pre-sunrise training sessions.
