Four SAC Softball Teams Recognized For High Team GPA

NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Newberry College women's softball team was ranked 22nd in the nation at the DII level for Team GPA by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. This is the third consecutive season that the Lady Indians have been ranked in the Top 25.

"This shows once again that at Newberry College, academics' and athletics' can not only coexist but flourish," said Head Coach Joe Elston. "My girls work very hard not only on the practice field but in the classroom as well and it really shows that they are a true college student first and athlete second."

Newberry's 3.323 GPA led the South Atlantic Conference for the third straight year and is the second highest ranked in the region behind Francis Marion.

Four softball teams from South Atlantic Conference member schools were recoginzed for their classroom achievement. Along with Newberry, Wingate University was ranked 27th with a 3.299 team GPA. Catawba College was ranked 49th with a team GPA of 3.159, and Tusculum College was ranked 56th with a team GPA of 3.065.

The Lady Indians also had eight NFCA All-American Scholar Athletes which gives them 26 All-American Scholar Athletes over the past three years.

"I feel like we share this honor with all the professors that work so hard to ensure the students success and here at Newberry we are very blessed to have some of the finest educators anywhere," said Elston. "They are the main reason that we had eight girls on the NFCA All American Scholar List this year and 26 in the last three years. I'm just extremely proud of them and the school."

The NFCA recognizes the top teams and students/athletes in regards to academics every season.