University of Albany's Meagan Butsch & Nicole Kothe Garner America East Softball All-Academic Team Laurels - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Cambridge, Mass. – University at Albany’s Meagan Butsch and Nicole Kothe were named to the America East Conference All-Academic Softball Team, as announced on Tuesday, May 26 by the league office. Both student-athletes helped the Great Danes set a school single-season record with 38 victories and advance to the championship round of the America East Tournament for the fifth straight season.

Butsch, a senior biology major with a 3.35 cumulative grade point average, is being honored for the second straight season as a member of the league’s all-academic squad. Earlier this year, she was named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Academic Scholar-Athlete and earned a place on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District I second team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). On the field, Butsch made the NFCA All-Northeast Region first team after being named the league’s co-player of the year as well as garnering spots on the all-conference first team and all-championship squad. The senior broke school records for home runs in a career (31) and a single season (16). She led the league in home runs, runs scored (50), on-base percentage (.492), slugging percentage (.806) and tied for first in RBI (44).

Kothe, a junior psychology major with a 3.68 GPA, is a two-time NFCA Academic Scholar-Athlete who also made the 2009 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District I second team. A two-time member of the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Kothe batted .268 with a .393 on-base percentage, nine RBI and five stolen bases. She finished the season with a .958 fielding percentage, committing just two errors.

To be nominated for the distinction, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve for their team and participate in at least 50 percent of their team’s games or competitions. In the classroom, student-athletes must have a 3.30 GPA and have completed at least one calendar year at their institution.