Leesburg, Fla. – On Tuesday night, the Magnolia Room was filled with a who's who of Lake-Sumter State College alumni. For the Athletics' Department, it was an especially memorable night when Leah Bultema became the first athlete inducted in to the LSSC Hall of Fame.
Bultema, whose maiden name is Wilbanks, was a member of the softball team from 1998-2000. During the first year Lake-Sumter brought athletics back to the Leesburg campus, Bultema helped lead her team to a state playoff appearance. That season, the converted slapper hit .497 with an on-base percentage of well over .550. Leah still holds both records for the program nearly 20 years later. Her accolades included the first student-athlete to receive State and Conference All-Academic honors as well as All-Conference and All-State selections.
After earning her A.A. degree, Bultema signed a softball scholarship at NCAA Division I affiliate Stetson University. While at Stetson, she continued to thrive in the classroom and on the field. She was named to the All-Atlantic Sun Conference in 2001 and received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology in 2002.
"This was a good surprise," said Bultema. "I was happy just to get the nomination, but yes, this is certainly a surprise." She went on to say, "It all just brings back so many good memories about my days here and the amazing teammates I had that made me a better player. Lake-Sumter has allowed so many, like myself, to play for two years and then continue on."
Since completing her degree at Stetson, Bultema moved back to Lake County. She then married her husband, David Bultema. David is a former baseball player for the Lakehawks. The couple has three children and together, founded the Aaron Strong Foundation. The foundation is in place to help others feel empowered through adversity. This year, the Bultema's generously began a scholarship fund for both male and female student-athletes at Lake-Sumter.
Leah taught and coached softball and soccer at East Ridge High School until 2006. In 2007, she began teaching at South Lake High School where she led the softball team to the FHSAA state semifinals in 2008. Currently, she is a Physical Education teacher at Mascotte Elementary School. Last year, Leah was named the Mascotte Elementary School "Teacher of the Year."
Leah continues to remain active with the LSSC Athletics' Department participating in several Alumni Day games and helping mentor current Lake-Sumter student-athletes.