Thursday, November 01, 2007

12 Valparaiso softball players have been named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Scholar-Athletes for their performance in the classroom last season.  The 12 honorees helped the Crusaders to the sixth-best cumulative team GPA in Division I softball.

The 12 players all maintained a cumulative GPA for the 2006-2007 academic year of at least 3.50.  Among Valpo’s recipients were graduates Beth Adamski, Jessica Schultz and Allison Whitesell; seniors Alicia Ashburn (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka), Mallory Gill (Beloit, Wis./Memorial), Kayla Grutz (Bellevue, Iowa/Bellevue), Tracy Korth (Elgin, Ill./Larkin [Elgin C.C.]), Courtney LaFerle (Elgin, Ill./Larkin), Shannon Robinson (Toronto, Ont./John Redmond) and Andrea Zappia (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central); junior Karen Korb (Indianapolis, Ind./Lutheran North); and former Crusader Bethany Boomer.  Schultz and Korb were repeat honorees from the 2005-2006 season, while Whitesell, Ashburn, Gill and Zappia all earned the accolade for the third straight year.