Hope designated player Julie Sobieski and Adrian catcher Morgan Brandt have been named to the Capital One All-America® NCAA Division III softball team, presented by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Sobieski was selected to the Academic All-America® first team, while Brandt was a third team selection. They are among 33 student-athletes named to the Academic All-America® team.
Sobieski, a senior from St. Charles, Illinois (St. Charles East HS), graduated from Hope summa cum laude in May with a degree in public accounting. She finished her career with a 3.94 grade point average.
On the field, Sobieski (pictured left) hit .402 this season with eight home runs while helping the Flying Dutch post a 29-11 record and reach the Lake Forest, Illinois regional final in the NCAA Division III national tournament. She was a first team All-MIAA selection last year and a second team all-conference pick this year, as well as a National Fastpitch Coaches Association second team All-Region player.
Brandt, a junior from Eastlake, Ohio (North HS), holds a 3.95 grade point average as an exercise science major at Adrian.
Brandt (pictured right) had a strong year this season, hitting .431 with three home runs and 26 RBI. She led the Bulldogs in runs (32), hits (47), doubles (14) and stolen bases (9) while striking out only seven times in 109 at-bats.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Sobieski and Brandt bring to 10 the number of MIAA student-athletes who have received Academic All-America® recognition during the 2014-15 academic year. Other honorees are Kirby Crook of Hope (first team, football), Aaron Wolf of Trine (first team, football), Maggie Kamp of Calvin (first team, volleyball), Lucy Mailing of Kalamazoo (second team, soccer), Travis Vegter of Calvin (second team, soccer), Jenna Grasmeyer of Hope (second team, volleyball), Jordan Brink of Calvin (second team, basketball), and Elise Biesboer of Calvin (third team, volleyball).
The Capital One Division II and III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2014-15 DII and DIII Academic All-America® teams program. For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com
