West Seneca native Kim Kaul was recently announced as one of 14 inductees for the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2012 during a ceremony at the First Niagara Center. Photo by Timothy T. LudwigPurchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com When it comes to versatility, very few can match West Seneca native and current Orchard Park coach Kim Kaul.

From being a four-sport star in high school to becoming one of the top-ranked amateur golfers in New York State, Kaul has accomplished more than most could ever imagine and remains an inspiration to female athletes of all ages. For those reasons and many more, Kaul was recently announced as one of 14 inductees for the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2012 during a ceremony at the First Niagara Center.

Kaul’s storied athletic career began on the playing fields and courts at West Seneca West. Kaul captained the basketball, volleyball, softball and tennis teams and earned first team ECIC Division I All-Star status in basketball (twice) and softball (three times). She helped lead West Seneca West to a division championship in basketball and went undefeated for two years in doubles competition on the tennis courts.

Kaul was recognized by being inducted onto the West Seneca Central Wall of Fame in 1998, the first year the award was presented.

Kaul then took her talents to Canisius College, where she helped build a new collegiate women’s program. She focused primarily on basketball and averaged in double figures her first two years before being sidelined with an injury as a junior. She recovered to lead the Griffs to a 13-7 mark as a senior and was eventually named the college’s Student-Athlete of the Year in 1980.

Kaul’s post-college career focused on both playing softball and coaching at Orchard Park High School. As an amateur softball player, she kept her competitive juices flowing by playing 17 years with the Shamrocks. A five-time player of the year, Kaul led the team in hits and doubles for 10 seasons, and her career .350 batting average is the highest of all Shamrocks.

Kaul earned All-American honors in 1992 from the Amateur Softball Association and was one of 40 players selected to the 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival. That same year she was one of 100 invited to the U.S. Olympic Trials.

In addition to leading the Shamrocks, Kaul also participated in seven Empire State Games competitions, winning five gold medals in the process. For her efforts on the diamond, she has been elected into both the WNY Softball Hall of Fame and the Metro Buffalo ASA Softball Hall of Fame.

As a coach, Kaul was also an overachiever, capturing six divisional and one sectional Class A-1 basketball titles while leading Orchard Park to the 1994 state championship softball game. Her career basketball coaching record is a stellar 249-158 (.612 win percentage), while her softball mark is a remarkable 203-139 (.594).

In addition to her playing and coaching accomplishments, Kaul is recognized as one of the best female amateur golfers to come from this area. She owns 14 local and regional championships, won 13 Gowanda Country Club titles, placed second in the 2005 Women’s New York State Amateur, made the 64-player cut in three USGA Senior Women’s Championships, placed eighth out of 156 golfers in the 2010 Canadian Senior Women’s Championship and was the 2008 NYS Women’s Senior titlist, setting a course record in the process.

Kaul continues to compete on the links in addition to imparting her words of encouragement and wisdom to the members of the Orchard Park girls modified volleyball and softball teams.

The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame’s 2012 class will be officially introduced in October or November during a dinner ceremony at the Buffalo Hyatt Regency.