Tech softball team ranks seventh in the classroom in all of Division I

Posted: Oct 07, 2010

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With one player earning a CoSIDA Academic All-District award, 17 members of the team on the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll-including three Medal of Honor winners-and a total of 41 additions to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll at Tech, one could safely say that the Tennessee Tech softball team has been excelling in the classroom.

When compared to other schools on the national stage, Tech softball ranks near the top as it finished seventh in all of Division I last season.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) announced the “Girls Got Game” based on GPAs submitted for the 2009-10 school year, and coach Tory Acheson’s Golden Eagles ranked seventh in the nation and as the top OVC squad.

“I’m proud of the effort the kids have made to achieve that level of academic success,” head coach Tory Acheson said. “We’re being mentioned with elite company.

“We have some great kids who are serious about their academics,” he said. “They know ultimately that carrying themselves in the classroom will carry them far after they leave Tech.”

Acheson also gave credit to Dr. Lance Jasitt’s role as Assistant Director for Academics and Student Welfare.

“I’d like to thank Dr. Jasitt and all the others who offer their support to our athletes,” Acheson said.

“Coach Tory Acheson should be personally recognized for quality recruiting of student-athletes, for setting extremely challenging academic goals, and for implementing a proven academic success program that has resulted in the highest performing team of student-athletes at Tennessee Tech,” Dr. Lance Jasitt said. “He has created an environment that has supported exceptional student-athlete effort and achievement on the playing field and in the classroom and our entire university and the Department of Athletics can take pride in our softball team's result.”

Through this program, the NFCA honors high school and collegiate softball teams for their success in the classroom.

Tennessee Tech finished with a 3.51 GPA for Division I while Robert Morris turned in the top GPA with a 3.58 average, just seven-hundredths of a point higher.

During the 2009-10 academic year, Lacie Coquerille earned Cosida Academic All-District honors. When the OVC announced Medal of Honor winners for the highest GPA in each sport, softball winners included Stacey Butts, Brooke Basten and Anna Zdroik. The OVC Honor Roll included 17 Golden Eagles: Basten, Robyn Bawcum, Butts, Coquerille, Erin Cutlip, Samantha Everett, Abbey Hayes, Claudia Harke, Sasha Howell, Beth Miller, Maddie Schmissrauter, Brittney Spalding, Chanelle Spalding, Jessica Steele, Holly Thomas, Lindsey Umberger and Zdroik.

“All of us at Tennessee Tech take academics very seriously and it shows in what our softball team has been able to accomplish over the last few years,” Mark Wilson said. “They have been successful on and off the field and it’s a tribute to all the student-athletes, coaches and academic support staff.

Rank School Coach GPA

1 Robert Morris Craig Coleman 3.580

2 Bowling Green St. Shannon Salsburg 3.571

3 South Carolina Upstate Chris Hawkins 3.566

4 Drake Rich Calvert 3.535

5 Campbell Drew Peterson 3.520

6 Penn St. Robin Petrini 3.517

7 Tennessee Tech Tory Acheson 3.514

8 Binghamton Michelle Burrell 3.488

9 Central Michigan Margo Jonker 3.485

10 Harvard Jenny Allard 3.480