Offseason knee surgery could not be expected to slow down Kara Stroup from matching the record season she had last year for the St. Francis University (Pa.) softball team

After all, this was the fourth surgery on her knees since her senior year at Mars Area High School. The offseason procedure has almost become routine to Stroup since she graduated from Mars in 2004 and began playing catcher for the Red Flash during her sophomore year.

"Dealing with the knee surgeries was my battle in the offseason," Stroup said. "Instead of being able to focus on my mechanics, I was busy focusing on rehab.

"I wasn't blessed with good kneecaps but after the first two surgeries I know my body now and it's just something that I know is coming."

Stroup was a four-year starter at Mars and caught nearly every game. She has done the same for St. Francis. On a few occasions she has played third base or been the designated hitter but despite the strain on her knees, Stroup wants to be behind the plate.

"I am sure I could help my cause by playing something else, but catching is what I've done," Stroup said. "I feel that's where I can be the best asset for my team. My coach and I have discussed that; I will play catcher until I am physically incapable."

Bad knees or not, it was going to be hard to try and match her output from last season. Stroup led the Red Flash in most hitting categories and chased some school records as well. Her 53 hits led the team and was third most all-time for a single season at St. Francis and her 33 RBIs ranked fifth-best all-time for the program.

In a game against Bucknell last year, she recorded one of her three four-hit games of the season and had two home runs and six RBIs. Stroup also led the team in batting average (.346), on-base percentage (.389) and slugging percentage (.471). Defensively, she had the team's second highest fielding percentage (.963) and threw out 10 base runners from behind the plate.

"Whenever you put up big numbers, there is always that thought that you need to maintain and stick around those numbers and continue to contribute as much," Stroup said. "I think it's important to do my job. My average doesn't really matter that much, I have to get the hits when people are on base and there is a little bit of pressure."

A junior majoring in English and secondary education, she has certainly lived up to those numbers, already being named to the all-tournament team at the UMBC tournament and co-MVP. The Red Flash dropped the first two games in pool play but bounced back with three consecutive wins to win the UMBC Spring Classic back on March 22. Stroup batted .467 during the tournament and had two home runs and knocked in six runs.

On April 3 Stroup was named the Northeast Conference Player of the Week, the first time a Red Flash player received the honor in more than two years. During her freshman year in 2006 she was also named the NEC Rookie of the Week.

The Red Flash struggled early in the season and opened up NEC play going 1-5. They still have a chance to improve their standings with the rest of the schedule containing mostly NEC games leading up to the conference tournament May 9-11.

A coaching change made after Stroup's freshman year gave her a big boost. The offseason program implemented by Sabrina Lane, now in her second year at St. Francis, benefited Stroup.

"I was a lot more comfortable with our new coach and the environment was a lot more relaxed," Stroup said. "I was able to get a lot more work in and last year was the first year I came in healthy. I lost 40 pounds before the season and I got back to being a contact hitter."

Not only did St. Francis land one of its best hitters when they recruited Stroup, but it also brought with them a WPIAL recruiter. Stroup helped sell the school in Loretto, Pa., to Kelly Slingwine, a junior shortstop from Pine-Richland, and to Taryn Adamski, a junior forward on the Red Flash women's basketball team, who also attended Mars.

"I tried very hard to get Kelly up here because I played against her and she is a great player," Stroup said. "I was kind of the first one up here and I am trying to bring up some Mars kids. It's nice having some of that local flavor because those kids understand how it is because the WPIAL is very competitive."