Hill Named Third-Team Academic All-American

The <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska softball program added to its nation-leading total of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, as junior Molly Hill was named to the 2008 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America third team, announced by the College of Sports Information Directors of America on May 28.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The honor was the first of Hill’s career, while her selection increased Nebraska’s nation-leading total of softball academic All-Americans to 25. Hill is the 18th Husker to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and the first non-senior to be honored since Kim Ogee was selected to the second team in 2002.  Hill also became the 256th overall CoSIDA Academic All-America selection in Nebraska history across all sports, as NU as an institution has produced more academic All-Americans than any other school in the country.

 

A native of Wayne, Neb., Hill earned a spot on the team with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as a speech language pathology major. She was one of only two players from the Big 12 Conference selected as an academic All-American, joining second-team infielder Valerie Chapple of Kansas. Hill is a two-time first-team academic All-District VII selection, as well as a two-time first-team academic All-Big 12 honoree and a six-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

 

On the field, Hill pitched Nebraska to the title game of the Big 12 Championship while earning a spot on the all-tournament team. She entered the season as the league’s reigning ERA champion but missed the first month of the season due to knee surgery. She recovered to lead the team in most pitching categories while tying her career high with five shutouts.

 

To be eligible for academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at her current institution.

 

Hill is the ninth CoSIDA Academic All-American to be coached by Rhonda Revelle, who just completed her 16th season as head coach. With Hill’s selection, Revelle has now coached more academic All-Americans herself (nine) than any other conference program has produced in its history (Missouri and Texas rank second with eight all-time selections). Overall, Nebraska leads the nation by two selections over Southern Illinois and leads the conference by 17 selections.

 

National Leaders in Softball Academic All-Americans

1. Nebraska, 25

2. Southern Illinois, 23

3. College of New Jersey, 18

4. Northern Illinois, 17

    Illinois Western, 17

 

Big 12 Leaders in Softball Academic All-Americans

1. Nebraska, 25

2. Missouri, 8

    Texas, 8

    Kansas, 8

5. Baylor, 7