Five Oklahoma State athletes to catch your eye

The official start of summer brings an opportunity to start looking at the fall. With all OSU sports having finished their season, fans will start looking forward to the coming season.

Here are five players to watch in 2010-11.

Annika Niemeier, soccer
Niemeier has been a consistent presence in the Cowgirl midfield since 2007. A redshirt senior, her calmness and distribution in the middle of the pitch will be crucial to ensuring the success of a Cowgirl attack that lost two of its stalwarts, forwards Kasey Langdon and Siera Strawser. Niemeier led the Cowgirls in scoring in 2009 on their way to a Big 12 Championship, but her ability to dictate the flow of the game will determine a lot toward the quest for a repeat.

Kendall Hunter, football
Hunter was injured for most of the 2009 season, and the times he got on the field, he clearly wasn't healthy enough to replicate his 2008 form. Although new offensive coordinator Dana Holgerson's offense will be centered around the passing game, Hunter will be key to making the machine tick. Hunter will be called upon to catch passes out of the backfield. Additionally, when the Cowboys do run, Hunter will need to make it count.

Toni Young, women's basketball
The Cowgirl basketball team relied on career-scoring leader Andrea Riley and, to a lesser extent, Aussie import Tegan Cunningham during the past four seasons. Both are gone, and Budke and the Cowgirls will look to forward Toni Young to make-up for that lost offense. A sophomore this coming season, Young is going to need to pick up the scoring load and maintain a consistent defensive presence as the Cowgirls adapt to life without Cunningham and Riley.

Ray Penn, men's basketball
Penn missed the last half of the 2009-10 season because of injury. Before then, he had solidified a spot in the Cowboy backcourt. Without former starters James Anderson and Obi Muonelo, Penn's role in getting the ball to forward Matt Pilgrim and guard Keiton Page will be even more important.

Chris Perry, wrestling
Perry came to OSU from Stillwater High School as one of the most highly regarded high school wrestlers in the country. Perry, who only lost one match in his high school career, compiled a 15-1 record in his first season at OSU as a redshirt competing in open tournaments. The nephew of coach John Smith, Perry is one of the most promising athletes at OSU.