Eight Lakers Earn NAIA Scholar-Athlete Honors

CHICAGO – The Roosevelt softball program one-upped itself from last year with eight student-athletes earning Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors, the organization announced Wednesday.

Leading the way for the Lakers were pitchers Samantha Norman and Kate Sisson, each of whom racked up their third scholar-athlete distinction in their final year of eligibility. It was the second consecutive honor for juniors Trinity Kelly, Isabella Walton and Emma Wokurka. Meanwhile, Brynn Dvoracek, Bailee Reynolds and Madison Sullivan were honored for the first time in their careers.

The group made a large impact on the Roosevelt squad this season with five everyday starters among the honorees. Norman was a first-team All-Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference selection his season for her stellar work in the circle and Sisson was the second half of Roosevelt's pitching duo with 5.5 strikeouts per seven innings. Dvoracek batted .304 and was a second-team all-conference pick while Reynolds drove in 21 runs this year. Walton drove in seven runs this year and also had a pair of doubles to her credit.

Sullivan and Wokurka were both key reserves off the bench as pinch hitters and pinch runners while Kelly appeared in eight games this season for the Lakers.

Per the NAIA, the Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete programs recognize excellence in the classroom by NAIA-member student-athletes who are juniors or above in academic standing with a 3.5 cumulative GPA. Students must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at the institution. The awards are given annually to outstanding student-athletes in the various sports in which the program is active and their respective teams are eligible for NAIA postseason competition.