Friday, April 28, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – One of Northwest Nazarene’s top performers on the field is also the league’s top softball performers in the classroom as Crusaders’ sophomore Cassidy Fifield leads 52 honorees on the 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Softball All-Academic Team.

Fifield, an infielder, has compiled a 3.92 cumulative grade point average as a chemistry major. On the field, Fifield has been one of the Crusaders’ top hitter with a .335 batting average while starting all 46 games. She leads the team and is tied for first in the GNAC with 23 stolen bases.

Fifield is one of six selections with a GPA higher than 3.80. She is joined by Crusaders’ senior Abigail Watkins (3.86 in recreation sports management) and sophomore Kylie Orr (3.80 in secondary education: kinesiology); Concordia seniors Mattie Boucher (3.83 in business administration) and Meghan Luebbert (3.80 in nursing); and Saint Martin’s junior Lindsay Miller (8.83 in accounting).

A total of 21 players were repeat selections to the team, with five players earning their third selections to the team. The five three-time honorees are Central Washington seniors Kailyn Campbell and Taylor Ferleman; Saint Martin’s seniors Jackie Schmaeling and Alyssa Slate and Western Washington senior Kali Patterson.

Concordia, in its second full year in the GNAC, leads all teams with 11 selections, which accounts for nearly half of the Cavaliers’ 24 rostered players. Montana State Billings, Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin’s each had eight selections.

To be selected for the GNAC All-Academic Team, student-athletes must be of sophomore standing or better, have a 3.20 cumulative grade point average or better and be in their second season at the nominating institution.

* - 2015-16 All-Academic Selection
+ - 2014-15 All-Academic Selection