TOWSON, MD.—Trine's Carly Searles and Bree Fuller have been named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Softball team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA).
Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) was honored on the First-Team for the first time in her Trine career. The Marketing major becomes the first player in school-history to receive First-Team Academic All-America® honors. Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) was honored on the Second-Team, and is being recognized as part of the Academic All-America® teams for the second time. The Exercise Science/Pre-Physical Therapy major was previously named to the third-team last year. The duo makes up part of the core of a Trine team that carries a 43-4 record into their first National Championship appearance in school-history.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 or more on a 4.00 scale, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
Searles has been a force atop Trine's lineup this season, starting in the leadoff spot every game. The junior has tied the NCAA Division III single-season record with 17 triples this season. She became the school's all-time leader in hits and steals earlier this season. Searles was named to the NFCA All-Central Region team and enters the National Championships batting .488.
Fuller has been Trine's ace in the circle this season. The junior has set school-records with 24 wins and 237 strikeouts, and was named to the NFCA All-Central Region team. She threw the first perfect game in school-history, and her second-career no hitter as part of her record-setting campaign. Fuller was named the MIAA's Pitcher of the Year.
Trine will compete in the NCAA Division III Softball National Championships at Suddenlink Field in Tyler, Texas this week. The Thunder open Thursday night against Montclair State. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.