Conference USA Softball All-Academic Team Announced
May 8, 2008
Complete All-Academic Softball Team Release in PDF Format
IRVING, Texas - Five seniors, three juniors and three sophomores make up the 2008 Conference USA All-Academic Softball Team, as selected by the softball sports information directors. Eight teams were represented, while East Carolina, Houston and UCF each placed two members on the team. There were six repeat selections from last season's inaugural squad. The all-academic team for softball consists of student-athletes that have earned a 3.2 cumulative grade point average or better and are a starter or key reserve for their team. Houston juniors Katie Bush and Laurie Wagner garnered academic recognition after leading their team to the 2008 C-USA Softball regular season title. Bush holds a 3.78 GPA in kinesiology and exercise science, while starting all games for the nationally-ranked Cougars. She earned Conference USA Academic Medal and Commissioner's Honor Roll accolades for the third-straight year and is a repeat selection to the all-academic team for softball. Wagner has a 3.31 GPA in psychology and was also named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll for the third consecutive year. The All-Conference first-team selection leads the team and is tied for the conference-best with 17 home runs this season, including a grand slam. Senior teammates Cat Snapp and Ashley Van Ryn of the No. 2 seed UCF Knights were each named to the all-academic team. Snapp has a 3.81 cumulative GPA as an art major. The catcher was named the 2008 UCF Softball Scholar-Athlete and is a three-time C-USA Academic Medal and Commissioner's Honor Roll honoree. Van Ryn is a repeat selection to the softball all-academic team. The hospitality management major with a coaching minor has a 3.93 GPA. She is also a three-time C-USA Academic Medalist and received the 2008 Dr. Richard Lapchick Award, given to a student-athlete who excels on the field, in the classroom and in the community. East Carolina sophomores Cristen Aona and Charina Sumner were each named to the all-academic team after the Pirates captured the fifth seed in the 2008 C-USA Softball Championship. Aona and Sumner are both Health Education and Promotion majors. Besides starting every game for the Pirates, the duo received the Academic Excellence Award, one of only 62 student-athletes to earn the award at ECU. As the starter at third base, Aona leads the team in assists and is third in hits offensively. Sumner leads the Pirates in hits, triples, and stolen bases, while holding her starting role in the outfield. Marshall senior Rachel Folden, the 2008 C-USA Player of the Year and All-America candidate, has a 3.33 GPA in history with a minor in mathematics. The catcher leads the Herd in home runs, doubles, slugging percentage, batting average, runs scored and walks. The repeat selection to the All-Academic Team was named a NFCA Academic All-America scholar-athlete and earned a spot on the Dean's List six semesters. Memphis senior Lindsay Kelso, an accounting major with a 3.80 GPA, is another repeat selection to the All-Academic Team. She shared the 2008 Memphis Female Scholar Athlete of the Award for having the highest GPA among all the Tiger female student-athletes. Kelso has started all but one game this season, seeing time in the outfield and at catcher. A 2006-07 NFCA Scholar Athlete, Kelso is also a two-time C-USA Academic Medal winner. Third-seeded Tulsa also placed a repeat selection on the all-academic squad. Senior Sara Dyer started every game at first base for the Golden Hurricane and earned 2008 All-Conference USA second-team honors. The communications major with a 3.94 GPA is a three-time C-USA Academic Medalist and member of Commissioner's Honor Roll. Dyer has been on the Dean's List every semester at TU. She holds the school record for career hits and career doubles. Holly Krzan represents UAB on the All-Academic team for the second year in a row. Krzan carries a 3.50 GPA as an education major with an emphasis in special education. The Blazer utility player holds six school records, including games started, runs and doubles. The four-time Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll selection graduated in December 2007 with Cum Laude honors and received the 2008 UAB Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Award. UTEP sophomore Stacie Townsend rounds out the 11-member squad. A 2007 NFCA Scholar Athlete and a two-time C-USA Academic Medalist, Townsend has maintained a 4.00 GPA since arriving at UTEP. She earned All-Conference USA first-team honors as an infielder, seeing time at first and second base, and leads the Miners in home runs and RBI. Townsend also saw time in the circle, making 26 appearances with 21 starts. She recorded four shutouts and one save and ranks fifth in the conference with 133 strikeouts. The 2008 C-USA Softball Championship gets underway today with five games at the Cougar Softball Stadium in Houston, Texas. Semifinals will be played Friday, May 9, while the championship game will take place at 1:30 p.m. CST on Saturday, May 10 and will be televised LIVE on CBS College Sports. 2008 C-USA SOFTBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM *Repeat Selection
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