Horizon League Announces Softball All-Academic Team

INDIANAPOLIS – The Horizon League Softball All-Academic Team has been announced with seven different schools represented on the team. UIC had the most members on the team with three student-athletes making the list. The combined grade point average of all 12 softball players on the team is 3.84.

Each Horizon League school’s Faculty Athletics Representative voted on the All-Academic Team.

UIC’s Savannah Soppet, Taylor Cairns and Jasmine Willis all made the list after helping UIC clinch the regular season title. Soppet, a kinesiology major, has been a .300 batter this season which is the best clip of her career. Taylor Cairns earned a spot on the team after starting most of the season as the Flames’ second baseman. The junior is currently majoring in biological sciences. Jasmine Willis is featured on the All-Academic Team in her first year eligible. The sophomore has made a big impact for UIC as a catcher/designated player while majoring in Exercise Science and Health Promotion.

Detroit Mercy has two players on the team in Savvy Ferstle and Jordan Manno.  Ferstle has started in 43 of the Titans 44 games on the year and is second on the team in hits and runs batted in. Ferstle is a junior studying business administration/ psychology. Jordan Manno is a biochemistry major and a second baseman/ catcher on the diamond.

Green Bay is represented with two players on the list in Allie Taylor and Abby Brinkmeier. Both batters are hitting well over .300 on the season and have been strong performers in the lineup. Taylor is a Spanish and Latin American Studies major while Brinkmeier is an education major.

Lyndsay Hill and Mikayela Marciniak of Oakland are featured on the All-Academic Team. Hill and Marciniak have been big contributors for Oakland both on the field and in the classroom. Hill, a senior, is an exercise science major and the leadoff batter in an Oakland lineup that is at the top of the League in batting average. Marciniak, a Pre-Business Administration major, has been a big contributor in the middle of the lineup.

Jorgi Calombaris of Valparaiso earned All-Academic honors. The senior has been a force in the lineup for the Crusaders batting .351 with 15 runs batted in during league play. Calombaris has been recognized on the Horizon League’s Academic Honor Roll in every semester eligible as well as the Presidential Academic Honors at Valparaiso in each of the last three semesters.  Calombaris is an education major.

Wright State’s Kate Pfeffer got the nod on the All-Academic Team. The senior has started in 16 of the team’s 19 league games at left field. Pfeffer has been a constant on the Horizon League’s Honor Roll as well as Wright State’s Honor Roll as a language arts education major.

Youngstown State’s Sarah Dowd rounded out the All-Academic Team. Dowd is currently a graduate student studying counseling. Dowd was a member of the CoSIDA All-America Third Team last season and has been on the All-Academic Team for each of the last three seasons. On the field, Dowd is the Penguins all-time home run leader and has been Second-Team All-League member in each of the last three seasons.

To be eligible for All-Academic Team consideration, student-athletes must be starter of important reserve for their team, have completed at least 24 semester (or 36 quarter) hours at their institution and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2.

2017 Softball All-Academic Team
Sarah Dowd, Youngstown State, Graduate, Counseling
Mikayela Marciniak, Oakland, Sophomore, Pre-Business Administration
Allie Taylor, Green Bay, Senior, Spanish and Latin American Studies
Jasmine Willis, UIC, Sophomore, Kinesiology – Exercise Science and Health Promotion
Savannah Soppet, UIC, Senior, Kinesiology – Movement Sciences
Jordan Manno, Detroit Mercy, Sophomore, Biochemistry
Savvy Ferstle, Detroit Mercy, Junior, Business Administration/Psychology
Lyndsay Hill, Oakland, Senior, Exercise Science
Abby Brinkmeier, Green Bay, Senior, Education
Taylor Cairns, UIC, Junior, Biological Sciences
Kate Pfeffer, Wright State, Senior, Language Arts Education
Jorgi Calombaris, Valparaiso, Senior, Elementary Education

2017 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team Honorees
First Team - Taylor Cairns, UIC
Second Team - Savannah Soppet, UIC
Second Team - Sarah Dowd, Youngstown State