Brooke Mitchell Named An Academic All-american
Junior pitcher becomes the school’s first Academic All-American since 1997
LOUISIANA La. – One week after becoming the program’s first First-Team All-American since 2000, Louisiana Lady Cajun softball junior ace pitcher Brooke Mitchell earned the distinction of being the first Academic All-American since 1997, with the release of the 2004 CoSIDA Academic All-America Softball University Division Softball Team Thursday morning by the organization.
Mitchell was selected to the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-America University Division Second Team – the first such honor of her brilliant career.
With the laurel, the Pasadena, Texas, native becomes the first Lady Cajuns softball player since Joni Podhorez in 1997 to receive the honor.
Mitchell is the program’s 13th Academic All-American selection and first under head coach Stefni Lotief.
She was the only softball athlete from a Louisiana school to make the team.
"This is a tremendous honor, not only Brooke, but also to this program and the University of Louisiana," said Louisiana head coach Stefni Lotief. "The award is a testament to her hard work in the classroom, in addition to her work ethic and accomplishments on the field.
“Hopefully Brooke is an example to kids in our community on the importance of excelling in academics first, and then athletics,” Lotief added.
She joins Lotief, Podhorez, Cathy Sconzo, Alyson Habetz, Lynn Britton, Stephanie DeFeo and Melody Mohar on the short list of Cajun softball players to be named Academic All-American.
Mitchell has maintained a 3.518 grade point average in business finance throughout her academic stint at the University of Louisiana. A member of the Dean’s List each semester, Mitchell was named the university’s Female Student-Athlete of the Year and last week was honored as the Sun Belt’s top female athlete.
In 2004, the right-handed hurler enjoyed her finest season. In 315 2/3 innings of work, the 2004 USA Softball National Player of the Year finalist, Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year, first team All-Sun Belt Conference selection and first team National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American allowed only 154 hits, 71 walks and 37 earned runs while fanning 524 batters.
She became one of a handful of Division I softball players to surpass 500 strikeouts in a season recording the fourth-most in NCAA history. Picking up 45 victories, she led the Cajuns to a perfect Sun Belt season, a league tournament championship, as well as the NCAA Region I championship game.
Her achievements are not limited to the field. She has been a fixture on the Sun Belt’s Honor Roll as well as being named an NFCA Scholar Athlete. Her inclusion on the spring 2004 Dean’s List marked the eighth straight semester she was named among the university’s top scholars.
The award brings to a close the postseason honors for UL Lafayette.
LOUISIANA SI
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