May 26, 2011

Story courtesy of CoSIDA

TOWSON, Md. - The 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Softball teams have been selected, the Academic All-America® Committee announced Thursday.

Headlining the eight NAIA student-athletes who made the list, are Olivet Nazarene's (Ill.) Jordan Reynolds, Central Methodist's (Mo.) Stephanie Sullivant and Morningside's (Iowa) Erin Bohlmann. The trio was named to the College Division Capital One Academic All-America® Softball first team. Earning second-team honors were Nicole Dimiceli of Judson (Ill.), Amy Madden of Southern Nazarene (Okla.) and Catherine Reeves of California Baptist. Nebraska Wesleyan's Marcia Kennedy and Oklahoma City's Nathalie Timmermans were named to the third team.

Four of the 11 players on the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® College Division Softball first team have a 4.00 G.P.A. The 11 scholar-athletes have an average G.P.A. of 3.95.

Senior pitcher Katie Goetzinger of Wayne State (Neb.) and senior infielder Alix Dean of Angelo State (Tex.) moved up to the Capital One Academic All-America® College Division first team this year after selection to the AAA second team last year. Senior outfielder Tanya Davis of Baldwin-Wallace was named to the first team after earning third team notice in 2010.

Joining Goetzinger in the circle is senior Stephanie Geer of SUNY-Brockport. Senior Emily Monteith of Anderson (S.C.) University, Olivet Nazarene junior Jordan Reynolds and Central Methodist senior Stephanie Sullivant complete the infield.

Senior Erin Bohlmann of Morningside College and junior Rachel MacBeth of DePauw flank Davis in the outfield. Brandeis junior designated player Marianne Specker rounds out the Capital One Academic All-America® College Division Softball first team.

The 2010 National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) and Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Player of the Year, Reynolds batted .429 for Olivet Nazarene. A business administration major with a 3.97 G.P.A., she smashed 14 home runs with 58 runs batted in, leading the Tigers to a 50-12 record. The junior shortstop from Metamora, Ill. led Olivet Nazarene to the CCAC tournament title and the NAIA National Softball Tournament. A three-time All-CCAC honoree, Reynolds scored an incredible 83 runs, was 55 of 55 in stolen base attempts and had a .759 slugging percentage. She earned All-Region and All-American honors from the NFCA, NAIA and NCCAA twice in her career.

While maintaining a perfect 4.00 G.P.A. with a major in business management and minors in mathematics and science, Sullivant batted .378 for Central Methodist. She hit six home runs, scored 34 runs and drove in 50 runs, leading the Eagles to a 41-15 record. The senior third baseman from Liberty, Mo. helped CMU win the Heart of America Athletic Conference regular-season title and finish as the HAAC Tournament runner up. A three-time All-HAAC performer who was selected to the 2010 Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Midwest Region first team, Sullivant finished her career as the Ravens' career leader with 17 home runs and 149 runs batted in.

One of the NAIA's national home run leaders, Bohlmann is an elementary education major with a perfect 4.00 G.P.A. As a senior at Morningside, she batted .379 with 10 doubles, five triples, a school-record 14 homers and 34 runs batted in. She led the Mustangs to a 46-11 record in 2011, along with a third consecutive appearance in the NAIA Softball National Championship tournament and a third straight Great Plains Athletic Conference championship. A native of Denison, Iowa, Bohlmann scored 56 runs and was 4-1 with a 1.50 E.R.A. in six pitching appearances. Bohlmann was named to the All-GPAC first team and the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Southwest Region second team this season.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, click here.

For the complete release, click here.