Kelsey Neal Named to Capital One Academic All-America Softball Team
ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA TEAM
St. Louis, Mo., May 22, 2012 – Washington University in St. Louis sophomore Kelsey Neal was named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Division III Softball Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Neal, a third-team selection as a designated player is just the fifth softball student-athlete to earn Academic All-America honors in program history – Liz Swary (2003, 2004, 2005), Laura D’Andrea (2006), Laurel Sagartz (2007) and Claire Voris (2011). She is also just the third Washington University Academic All-America selection this season for the Bears, and the 97th in school history.
“Kelsey has consistently demonstrated an unrelenting work ethic to excel on softball field, and this honor attests the same level of commitment she has placed on her academics,” said seventh-year head coach Leticia Pineda-Boutté. “I am very happy for her and equally as proud of her achievement.”
Neal batted .330 at the plate this season with six doubles, four home runs and 26 RBIs. She had six multiple-RBI and 10 multiple-hit games, and recorded a season-best six-game hitting streak from April 10-19. Neal had her breakout game in a 7-5 loss to Case Western Reserve on March 16, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and a career-best five RBIs. 
She also stabilized the Bears’ pitching staff as the No. 2 starter for the Red and Green. Neal posted a 10-5 overall record with a 2.82 earned run average in 16 starts on the mound. She recorded 58 strikeouts in 96.2 innings pitched, while limiting opponents to a .274 batting average. Neal tossed three-hit shutouts in a 6-0 win at Webster University on April 15 and in a 1-0 victory over Monmouth College on April 21.
Neal, a 2012 Academic All-University Athletic Association (UAA) and Capital One Academic All-District honoree, has a 3.86 grade point average while majoring in economics.
In order to be selected to an Academic All-America team, a student-athlete must demonstrate success on the playing field and in the classroom, with academic and athletic achievements taken into consideration. The student-athlete must possess a minimum 3.30 cumulative grade point average and be at least a sophomore in academic standing.
Washington University completed the 2012 season with a 28-12 overall record, its 10th-straight season with 25 or more wins. The Bears also tied for second in the UAA Conference Tournament with a 4-4 mark.