NFCA Release
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Missouri State ranks among the nation's top 10 NCAA Division I softball programs in the NFCA's Academic Team rankings for the 2015-16 school year, the organization announced Thursday. The Bears boasted a 3.569 team grade-point average to rank tenth among the nation's major programs in the organization's annual academic release.
 
In addition, 14 MSU players qualified for Easton NFCA Scholar-Athlete honors. Kaitlin Beason, Molly Fields, Morgan Greenlee, Hannah Heinrichs, Sara Jones, Kyana Mason, Kara Powelson, Olivia Roark, Mary Stephens, Erin Struemph, Bethany Sullinger, Jessie Van Es, Erika Velasquez-Zimmer and Hailee Vigneaux all achieved national honor roll status from the NFCA, based on their academic standing at the end of the spring 2016 semester.
 
A total of 1,240 Division I players -- and more than 5,000 across all levels of softball -- were honored by the NFCA after compiling a cumulative 3.5 grade-point average or higher.
 
Grand Canyon University (3.670) was the Division I leader in team GPA honors, followed by Omaha (3.643), Saint Louis (3.641) and fellow MVC honoree Southern Illinois (3.627). The rest of the national top 10 includes Western Carolina (3.607), Georgia State (3.595), DePaul (3.591), Harvard (3.590), Fairfield (3.589) and Missouri State (3.569).
 
MSU head coach Holly Hesse will return 12 letterwinners and 14 squad members when the Bears open the 2017 season in early February. As part of the University's homecoming week activities, the team's annual Alumni Game will take place at 11 a.m., on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Killian Softball Stadium in Springfield.
 
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