May 23, 2011
ST. LOUIS -
Juniors Caiti Kopp and Megan Warner were named to the Missouri Valley Conference Softball Scholar-Athlete First Team, as announced by the conference office Monday afternoon. The first-team selections are the first for both Kopp and Warner.
Kopp appeared in 34 games for the Redbirds this season and hit .253 with six home runs and 21 RBI. The junior catcher threw out five opposing base runners and committed just two errors behind the plate. The Normal, Ill., native is an anthropology major and boasts a 3.95 grade-point average (GPA).
Warner ended her junior campaign with a 2.93 ERA and posted a record of 15-7 inside the circle. The junior pitcher struck out 100 batters in her 145.2 innings of work and tossed a one-hitter in ISU's 3-1 win over Indiana in the NCAA Regional on Saturday. The Milan, Ill., native was a Capital One Academic All-District V Second-Team honoree and All-MVC Second-Team selection earlier this season. Warner is an exercise science major and holds a 3.76 GPA.
Southern Illinois led the league with three first-team selections, while Bradley, Drake and Illinois State each had two student-athletes earn first-team recognition. Creighton, Evansville and Northern Iowa each had one honoree.
The MVC Scholar-Athlete Team is voted on by the league's sports information directors. To be eligible, a player must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, be at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing with one season at the Valley institution and participate in 75 percent of her team's games or the Valley Championship.
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