Huskers Earn More Academic Honors

Seven Husker softball players were named All-America Scholar Athletes by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association in October, highlighting what was an outstanding academic season for the entire program.

Seniors Julie Brechtel and Heidi Foland, juniors Madison Drake, Ashley Guile, Ashley Hagemann and Nikki Haget and sophomore Megan Southworth were each named to the list. The seven honorees helped Nebraska finish with an overall team grade-point average of 3.151.

The NFCA honors capped a terrific year in the classroom for the 2011 Huskers. Brechtel, Foland, Hagemann and Haget each earned first-team academic all-district honors, while Hagemann (second team) and Haget (third team) each earned Capital One Academic All-America honors. Nebraska's two academic All-America selections ranked second nationally and increased the Huskers' all-time total to a nation-leading 29 selections, seven more than any other school. NU's four first-team all-district selections also tied for the national lead.

On the conference level, six Huskers earned academic All-Big 12 accolades, including five first-team selections. Nebraska players also combined for a total of 23 selections to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll in both the fall and spring semesters.

Nebraska was also active in the community during the 2010-11 school year. The Huskers won the Life Skills team competition as the athletic department's most active female team in the community. Brechtel also became Nebraska's first-ever nominee for the Lowe's Senior CLASS award, honoring student-athletes for their excellence in the community, classroom, character and competition.

On the field, Nebraska finished with a 41-14 record, an appearance in an NCAA Regional final and a No. 21 national ranking last spring. The Huskers got off to the best start in school history, rose to as high as No. 11 in the national rankings and produced their first All-American (freshman catcher Taylor Edwards) in six seasons.