Detroit's Rafter named First-Team Academic All-America
May 30, 2007
Detroit softball catcher Kaleigh Rafter added to her growing list of awards today when it was announced she was selected to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team. Rafter was selected to the First Team after posting a 3.84 grade point average in criminal justice. Rafter was the only Horizon League player and only student-athlete from the state of Michigan selected to any of the three All-America teams.
A two-time Horizon League Player of the Year selection, including this season, Rafter is making her first appearance on a National Team after being selected to the All-District IV team earlier this season. The 2006-07 Titan Club Award winner for Athletic and Academic Excellence, Rafter is the fifth Titan in the last five years to garner Academic All-America status, joining former teammate Anna Ollgaard (Softball) in 2005, Ablaye Camara (Men's Soccer) in 2004 and Jaymi Dumper (Men's At-Large/Track) in 2001. She is just the second Titan to ever be selected to the top team, joining two-time Horizon League Soccer Player of the Year Mary Parker, who was selected last fall.
Rafter, who has set the career home run record in just three seasons as a Titan, has been named to the all-league first team the last two seasons to go along with a pair of National Fastpitch Coaches Association all-region nods. Rafter has led the league in home runs each of the last two seasons and is ranked nationally in walks (ninth), slugging percentage (ninth), batting average (32nd) and home runs per game (11th).
The Academic All-America Teams program honors 816 male and female student-athletes annually who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom. Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000 member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
To be eligible, a student-athletes must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 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.
Story provided by the Detroit Sports Information Office.
