By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Tennessee at Martin softball team was rewarded for its academic excellence off the field this week as 14 players from its 2020-21 roster were named Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athletes.
To be selected as an Easton/NFCA Scholar-Athlete, student-athletes must achieve a 3.5-or-better overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the school year.
This past year, UT Martin posted a cumulative team GPA of 3.55 to rank 63rd nationally.
Leading the way for the Skyhawks were standouts Aalia Bivens, Emily Brown, Gracie Lusk and Paige Clark who posted perfect 4.0 GPAs last year. Also earning selections were Alexis Groet (3.66), Anna Blanton (3.59), Chelsey Gore (3.765), Emily Alexander (3.76), Emily Gilstrap (3.73), Erin Gallagher (3.72), Kaci Fuller (3.65), Kaitlyn Kelley (3.525), Kallie Pickens (3.71) and Shyanne Sheffield (3.71).
Nationwide, over 8,800 student-athletes (NCAA DI, DII, DIII, NAIA, junior colleges and high schools) were named Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes, the highest total in the Association’s history and the second-consecutive year achieving the 8,000-plus plateau.
Graphic Courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information