Salukis ranked 2nd nationally in Team GPA
10/02/2019 | 3:57:00 | Softball
The 2018-19 Southern Illinois University softball team was recognized for its excellence in the classroom Wednesday by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, placing second on the 2018-19 Easton/NFCA Division I All-Academic list with a 3.723 grade point average.
14 of SIU's 17 players from last year's team earned Easton / NFCA Scholar-Athlete honors by posting a GPA above 3.5 for the 2018-19 school year. Susie Baranski, Maris Boelens, Megan Brown, Kyleigh Decker, Shelby Hodo, Jenny Jansen, Katelyn Massa, Claire Miller, Bailee Pulley, Jordan Spicer, Maddy Vermejan and Meredith Wernig all earned Scholar-Athlete honors.
SIU's runner-up finish marks the 10th time since 2001 that Southern has finished in the top-five nationally, and it is tied for the best finish in school history. Southern also placed second in 2007 and 2011. Of the 19 seasons that the NFCA has compiled team GPA rankings, Southern's 3.723 GPA this past season was its highest of the 19 times that SIU has earned inclusion on the list. The Salukis have finished in the top-10 percent nationally every season under head coach Kerri Blaylock since the NFCA began compiling the list in 2001.
On the field, the Salukis compiled a 34-15 record, advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in program history and won a NCAA Regional game for the first time since 2007.
