The 2012 Ankeny softball team was already blessed with a handful of stars.
But when eighth grader Kendyl Lindaman joined the team’s lineup, the Hawkettes became nearly unbeatable.
Lindaman set a Class 5A tournament record with three home runs while helping Ankeny to the 13th state championship in school history. She was named the captain of the all-tournament team.
Lindaman went on to become Iowa’s all-time home run leader, hitting 71 bombs in a five-year career. On Thursday, she was inducted into the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union Softball Hall of Fame during the state tournament at Fort Dodge.
“Being out of softball for a couple of years, it still feels unbelievable,” said Lindaman. “I’m definitely reminiscing on my time here. It’s something that I’m very proud of, and I miss. But I’m just glad I can represent Ankeny.”
Lindaman, a catcher, becomes the ninth player from Ankeny to be inducted into the Softball Hall of Fame. Cherie Andersen, a 1980 Ankeny graduate, was the last player from Ankeny to be enshrined in 2004.
Mary Yori (Class of ’78) was the first Ankeny player to be inducted in 1983. She was followed by Karlin Hayes (’81) in 1986, Connie Yori (’82) in 1987, Deb Schneider (’80) in 1997, Sue Frederick (’85) in 2000, Jenny Voss (’96) in 2001 and Amy Farmer (’96) in 2003.
Farmer later returned to her alma mater and coached Ankeny to a 39-6 record in 2012. The Hawkettes outscored their three opponents at the state tournament by a combined margin of 19-0.
“She was my first (varsity) coach,” Lindaman said. “I had a great time with Amy–she was an amazing coach and an amazing player. So it’s just an honor to be up there (with her).”
Lindaman led Ankeny to a 13-0 victory over Marshalltown in the quarterfinals, becoming the 15th player in tournament history to homer twice in the same game.
“She may have been young when I played with her, but it never felt like it,” said former teammate Aly Cappaert, who was the Class 5A Player of the Year that season. “She’s always had a natural talent in the game, and it was fun to watch throughout her time in high school and college.”
Lindaman homered again and drove in all four runs in Ankeny’s 4-0 win over Iowa City West in the semifinals. The Hawkettes then defeated Des Moines East, 2-0, in the title game.
“This really does bring me back to my roots,” Lindaman said. “Playing on the big stage (in college) was fun, but I had some great times playing here at the state tournament for two years. It was something unforgettable.”
As a freshman, Lindaman led Ankeny to a third-place finish in Class 5A in its first season under coach Dave Bingham. She hit a two-run homer against Cedar Rapids Prairie in the quarterfinals, allowing her to tie the state’s all-time single-season record with 24 home runs.
Lindaman was again named to the all-tournament team, despite being walked six times in 11 plate appearances.
“Back in those days I feel like I was just having fun,” Lindaman said. “That’s what it’s always about. Back then, (the Hall of Fame) was never a thought in my mind. Playing college softball was a thought at that point, but I was just out there with my teammates giving it all that I could.”
Bingham recalled the first time that he saw Lindaman play.
“When my wife Kim and I moved to Ankeny and started getting into softball, Kendyl was on the first 10U team that I ever coached,” he said. “And she wasn’t good because she was so little. She didn’t talk, but she was all in. And to have that kid at seven or eight years old and then to have the ability to coach her and win a championship when she was an eighth grader, I was very fortunate. And then her freshman year she hit those 24 bombs.
“She’s just always been a rock, and it’s a very deserving honor,” he added.
Lindaman moved across town to Ankeny Centennial for her last three high school seasons and reached double digits in homers all three years, despite being walked 172 times as a Jaguar. She batted .503 for her career and was a four-time first-team all-state selection.
Lindaman went on to play collegiately at Minnesota, where she was a two-time Big 10 Player of the Year and a two-time all-American for the Gophers. She set school records with 20 homers and 76 RBIs as a freshman.
Lindaman then transferred to Florida, where she was a two-time all-SEC pick and earned all-American honors for the third time. She hit 15 homers as a junior while helping the Gators reach the College World Series in 2019.
Lindaman went on to play professionally for the Florida Vibe while serving as a graduate assistant at Florida. She now resides in Phoenix.
“I got to tell her that she was going into the Hall of Fame, so that was really cool,” Bingham said. “And I think we’ve got a few more Hawkettes from that era that could get in, too.”
Lindaman soaked up the atmosphere at Harlan Rogers Park as she waited for the Hall of Fame ceremony to begin.
“It honestly looks the same,” she said. “I haven’t been back since probably 2013. All the feels are still here. It’s a great feeling being here. It’s fun to watch and to see all these girls experience it as well.
“It’s just a great atmosphere to be around,” she added.
Cappaert watched the ceremony from media row, where she worked the tournament as a broadcaster.
“It’s always awesome to see anyone from Ankeny or Centennial get inducted,” she said. “Hearing the PA announcer read off Kendyl’s accolades brought back a lot of memories.”