Stuedeman's Squad Places 12 on SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State's softball program continued its All-American performance in the classroom as 12 players were named to the 2012 Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll, the league announced Monday. The dozen players marked the highest output by the program since the 2007 squad produced 13 on the list.

Mississippi State had 81 student-athletes from its eight men's and women's sports earn the academic laurel, up 12 from a year ago. Since 1999, the Bulldog softball program has amassed a league-best 152 honorees.

The sextet of Stephanie Becker, Jessica Cooley, Shelby Fisher, Erin Nesbit, Chrissie Rovtar and Kylie Vry all picked up their third nod on the list in as many years.

Outgoing senior Ka'ili Smith picked up her second honor, while fellow senior Brittany Gates went out in style by being named to the honor roll for the first time. Junior Rachael Zdeb also earned her first SEC academic accolade. Rounding out the dozen was the trio of sophomores Sam Lenahan, Jessica Offutt and Heidi Shape.

The 2012 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll is based on grades from the 2011 Summer, 2011 Fall and 2012 Spring terms.

Any student-athlete who participates in a Southeastern Conference championship sport or a student-athlete who participates in a sport listed on his/her institution's NCAA Sports Sponsorship Form is eligible for nomination to the Academic Honor Roll. The following criteria should be followed: (1) A student-athlete must have a grade point average of 3.00 or above for either the preceding academic year (two semesters or three quarters) or have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above at the nominating institution. (2) If a student-athlete attends summer school, his/her grade point average during the summer academic term must be included in the calculation used to determine eligibility for the Academic Honor Roll. (3) Student-athletes eligible for the Honor Roll include those receiving an athletics scholarship, recipients of an athletics award (i.e., letter winner), and non-scholarship student-athletes who have been on a varsity team for two seasons. (4) Prior to being nominated, a student-athlete must have successfully completed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of non-remedial academic credit toward a baccalaureate degree at the nominating institution. (5) The student-athlete must have been a member of a varsity team for the sport's entire NCAA Championship segment.

PLAYER-MAJOR-TOTAL

Stephanie Becker-Elementary Education-3

Jessica Cooley -Marketing-3

Shelby Fisher-Business Administration-3

Erin Nesbit-Communication-3

Chrissie Rovtar-Kinesiology-3

Kylie Vry-Kinesiology-3

Ka'ili Smith-Industrial Technology-2

Brittany Gates-Kinesiology-1

Sam Lenahan-Mathematics-1

Jessica Offutt-Mechanical Engineerig-1

Heidi Shape-Business Administration-1

Rachael Zdeb-Kinesiology-1