FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14, 2006

Southern softball earns academic distinction from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association

JOPLIN, Mo. - The Missouri Southern softball team has been honored as one of the top academic teams in the country by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Callie Stanford and JT Taylor were also given the NFCA Scholar Athlete Award.

Southern carried a team GPA of 3.331 this past year and were 18th in the country. Only Emporia State and Missouri Western had better GPA's than Southern within the MIAA. Grand Canyon University had Division II's best GPA with a  3.604 mark.

The Scholar Athlete Award goes to individuals that carry a 3.50 GPA over the course of the Academic Year.

Stanford, a senior pitcher from Webb City, graduated last year with a 3.885 GPA in secondary education. She led the Lions in ERA with a 1.37 mark in 30 innings, limiting batters to just a .231 average. Stanford was a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and a three-time Commissioners Academic Honor Roll Selection. She finished in third place on the Lions career starts list with 75, while ranking fourth in appearances (94) and fifth in strikeouts (205).

Taylor, a junior second baseman from Springfield (Glendale HS), hit .224 last year, starting in each of the 38 games she played in. Taylor was an honorable mention All-MIAA selection in 2005 as a freshman after leading the team in stolen bases with 10.  Taylor has led the team in stolen bases each of the last two years with eight last season and added three home runs and eight RBIs. Taylor has a 3.714 GPA in Health Promotion and Wellness and was a member of the Commissioners Academic Honor Roll this past season.