Nov. 10, 2005
NORMAL, Ill. -
Former Redbird softball All-American Kate Stake was one of the stars of the show at the 2005 State Farm Academic Excellence Banquet on October 30 as she was awarded Linda Herman Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.
Stake is the inaugural recipient of the Linda Herman Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for the 2004-05 academic year, the highest academic honor bestowed upon a female student-athlete at Illinois State. Herman was present to award the accolade named in her honor to Stake.
During her senior season, the four-year starter at second base received numerous accolades, including Easton All-America Second Team honors and ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Third Team laurels. Stake finished the 2005 season ranked in the top 10 in the Missouri Valley Conference in eight statistical categories, capping off her career by being named to the Valley All-Tournament Team.
The Buffalo Grove, Ill., native is just one of three Redbird softball players to garner all-league accolades in four straight seasons. She finished her career ranked in the top five all-time at Illinois State in career games started, hits, home runs, runs batted in and total bases.
