Congratulations to Ragin Cajun softball player Kassidy Zeringue for being selected to the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America 2nd team.

http://www.cosida.com/news/2016/5/25/AAA...lteam.aspx


AUSTIN, TEXAS – Senior outfielder Haylie McCleney of the University of Alabama headlines the 2016 Academic All-America Division I softball team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

McCleney has been selected as the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for Division I softball, marking the second consecutive year McCleney earned that honor. She is the first repeat Academic All-American of the Year for Division I softball since 2011 and 2012 (Louisiana Lafeyette's Ashley Brignac), as well as only the third two-time Division I (or University Division) Academic All-American of the Year since the softball program debuted in 1988 — Tennessee’s 5688 Haylie McCleney Lindsay Schutzler was the first in 2006 and 2007.

A human performance exercise science major with a 4.0 G.P.A., McCleney also is a three-time first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America choice, having previously made the top squad in 2014 and 2015.

A native of Morris, Alabama, McCleney has paced Alabama to its 12th consecutive NCAA Super Regional appearance this season, leading the Crimson Tide in batting average (.453 – second in SEC/12th in nation), slugging percentage (.741 – fourth in SEC), on-base percentage (.609 – leads SEC/fourth in nation), runs scored (72 – leads SEC/fifth in nation), doubles (5), triples (5 – third in SEC), walks (53 – second in SEC/seventh in nation) and stolen bases (20).

McCleney is among 10 finalists for the USA Softball National Player of the Year Award, in addition to being a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) first-team all-South Region selection, a first-team all-SEC pick and a SEC All-Defensive Team choice this season.

Nearly half (14) of the 34 members on the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America NCAA Division I softball teams have at least a 3.90 G.P.A., with seven student-athletes sporting a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. The 11 members of the Academic All-America NCAA Division I softball first team have an average G.P.A. of 3.80.

In addition to being this year’s Academic All-American of the Year, McCleney is among a group of five student-athletes who are multi-time Academic All-America choices, with University of Oregon senior pitcher Cheridan Hawkins joining McCleney as a three-time honoree. The other repeat Academic All-America student-athletes in 2016 are University of Illinois senior infielder Allie Bauch, Auburn University junior infielder Kasey Cooper and Mercer University senior catcher Natalie Shiver.

Hawkins has appeared on all three Academic All-America teams during her career, collecting third-team accolades in 2014 and first-team plaudits last year. Cooper earned her second consecutive first-team citation, while Bauch received second-team honors this year after making the first team in 2015. Shiver rounded out this year’s two-time Academic All-America honorees, receiving second-team recognition for the second consecutive season.

The CoSIDA Academic All-America Division I softball first team includes four student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 G.P.A., led by McCleney and Cooper. Joining Cooper as a first-team infielder with a 4.0 G.P.A. is North Carolina Central University senior Jenny Tracy, while University of Oklahoma sophomore pitcher Paige Parker also posted a 4.0 G.P.A. while earning her place on the first team.

University of Michigan graduate student Sara Driesenga joined Parker in earning the nod as the pitchers on the Academic All-America first team, with Northern Illinois University senior catcher Emily Naegele serving as the battery mate on the first team.

Along with Cooper and Tracy, the rest of the CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team infield includes University of Utah junior Hannah Flippen and University of Nebraska graduate student Mattie Fowler, while University of Oregon senior Koral Costa and University of Missouri senior Emily Crane completed the first-team outfield. University of Florida sophomore Kayli Kvistad also made the Academic All-America first team as its designated player.

The Academic All-America second team is led by three-time selection Hawkins and two-time honorees Bauch and Shiver. University of Alabama junior Sydney Littlejohn joins Hawkins in the second-team circle, throwing to Shiver.

Bauch heads up the Academic All-America second-team infield that also features San Diego State University senior Samantha Camello, Southern Illinois University junior Shaye Harre and Western Carolina University senior Taylor Sigmon. The second-team outfield includes Jacksonville State University senior Ella Denes, Baylor University graduate student Linsey Hays and University of Louisiana Lafayette junior Kassidy Zeringue, while UNC Greensboro senior Nicole Thomas is the second-team designated player.

Three other student-athletes with a perfect 4.0 G.P.A. — Charlotte graduate student pitcher Lexi Betancourt and sophomore infielder Haley Pace, and La Salle University senior outfielder Kendra Heyer — lead the Academic All-America third team. Purdue University senior Lilly Fecho and Betancourt are the third-team pitchers, while University of Washington senior Kimberlee Souza is the group’s catcher.

Due to a tie in the voting, there are five members of the Academic All-America third-team infield. Along with Pace, Lehigh University senior Morgan Decker, Northwestern graduate student Andrea Filler, Omaha senior Sydney Hames and Oklahoma State University sophomore Vanessa Shippy complete the five-player unit.

Heyer joins University of the Pacific senior Sara Anderson and Youngstown State University junior Sarah Dowd as outfielders who earned Academic All-America third-team honors this year, while Northwestern graduate student Amy Letourneau rounds out the 2016 third team as its designated player.

The NCAA Super Regionals that begin Thursday, May 26, will feature 12 members of the CoSIDA Division I Academic All-America Softball Team from 10 of the 16 competing teams. They include: Haylie McCleney and Sydney Littlejohn (Alabama), Kasey Cooper (Auburn), Kayli Kvistad (Florida), Kassidy Zeringue (Louisiana) Sara Driesenga (Michigan), Emily Crane (Missouri), Paige Parker (Oklahoma), Koral Costa and Cheridan Hawkins (Oregon), Hannah Flippen (Utah) and Kimberlee Souza (Washington).