June 2, 2005
NORMAL, Ill. -
Kate Stake can add Academic All-America to the list of honors she achieved during her four-year career with the Illinois State softball team. She was elected to the ESPN The Magazine University Division Third Team Thursday. Honorees are selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) members.
Stake, who carries a 3.70 cumulative GPA in English, becomes the fifth Redbird softball player to achieve All-America status, all in the last seven years. She joins Corey Harris (2002), April Schermann (2001), Cathy Peverly (2000) and Heather Stella (1999). Harris was honored in Stake's freshman season.
"I've heard the names and seen pictures of the student-athletes who have received this award, and I'm honored to be in that company," Stake said. "It has always been my goal to do well in school. I saw how hard Corey (Harris) worked to get the job done academically. I just tried to emulate her work ethic, and Abbie Scott's (former ISU Bone Scholar) and the other players that came before me. Obviously, the work paid off."
The senior second baseman was recently recognized as a member of the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Great Lakes Region Second Team. Earlier this season, Stake received Missouri Valley Conference scholar-athlete first team honors for the second straight season.
Stake, a Buffalo Grove, Ill., native, paced the Redbirds in nearly every offensive category during her senior season. In 2005, the four-year starter became just the third Redbird to garner four all-league accolades under head coach Melinda Fischer's direction. Stake was named to the All-Valley First Team as a junior and senior, and received second team plaudits her first two seasons.
She just missed cracking the top three in the Illinois State career charts in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI and extra-base hits. Meanwhile, her 10 homers this year marked the fourth best single-season effort by Redbird. Stake finished her senior year ranked in the top 10 in the Missouri Valley Conference in eight statistical categories, capping off her career as a member of the 2005 Valley All-Tournament Team.
"I truly believe that good things come to those who put forth the effort, and go above and beyond what is asked of them," Fischer said. "Kate did that throughout her career and she's very deserving of this honor.
"Kate's ability to mentor our younger players both athletically and academically has really impressed me," Fischer said. "She is very unselfish; and will make a great teacher. Kate has always worked well with the kids in our camps. She deals well with players of all ages and abilities, and I think that will translate to what she wants to do professionally."
Creighton catcher Christine Fukumoto (first team) and Southern Illinois pitcher Amy Harre (third team) were the only other players from the Valley to be recognized.
