By: Evan Crane, Assistant Media Relations Director – University of Kentucky Athletics
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky softball team had a banner year on the field in 2013 recording the most wins in a single season in program history, but the accomplishments stretched past the field and into the classroom last season as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association recognized the Wildcats for having one of the best team GPA among NCAA Division I softball teams, the association announced recently.
Kentucky posted a team GPA of 3.403 last season, which was the 24th-best in the nation and second-best in the Southeastern Conference.
Individually, seven players were honored for academic success by the NFCA in 2013, including senior Kara Dill (3.571), juniors Ginny Carroll (3.636) and Lauren Cumbess (3.8), sophomore Griffin Joiner (3.911), and freshmen Christian Stokes (3.8), Maisie Steed (3.514) and Nikki Sagermann (3.8). The award is bestowed upon any player, submitted by a member coach, who achieved a 3.50 grade point average or higher during the 2012-13 academic year.
Several Wildcats were honored for their academic success earlier this year by the SEC as Carroll, Cumbess, Dill, Sarah Frazer, Emily Gaines, Joiner, Emily Jolly, Krystal Smith, Ellen Weaver, Katie Henderson, Kelsey Nunley, Darington Richardson, Sagermann, Sylver Samuel, Ansley Smith, Steed and Stokes were named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
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