Softball Ranks Among Nation's Elite In Academics
September 28, 2007 | Softball
Sept. 28, 2007
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The 2007 East Carolina softball team not only enjoyed a successful season on the field but also in the classroom. The Pirates' commitment to academic excellence was recognized on Thursday as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced that ECU compiled the 20th-best GPA of all NCAA Division 1 softball teams in the 2006-07 academic year. The Pirates' cumulative mark of 3.364 is the highest for the program in its 24 years of existence. Additionally, ECU was the only Conference USA program ranked in the top-50 as Tulsa finished 51st.
Individually, junior Jessica Johnson was named to the C-USA All-Academic Team and earned a spot on the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll for the second-consecutive year. Her efforts helped the Pirates earn the 2007 Conference USA Sport Academic Award, given to the team in each conference-sponsored sport with the highest grade point average for the current academic year.
"Last year when we were setting our team goals, Coach Koz and I posted the previous year's team academic standings in our locker room and challenged our kids to be the best in our conference by committing themselves in the classroom," head coach Tracey Kee said. "To see this goal come to fruition was so rewarding. We've got a very special group of student-athletes here who understand the importance of commitment to their softball skills, giving back to the community and representing themselves and their team in the classroom. I couldn't be more proud of this group then I am today."
ECU will look to post its fifth-straight 40-win season as it opens play in February.
