May 9, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brandon Kolditz
wkolditz@memphis.edu
IRVING, Texas - University of Memphis teammates Jenna Kubesch and Lindsay Kelso were among 14 student-athletes named to the Conference USA Softball All-Academic Team on Wednesday. To be eligible for the team, student-athletes must have earned a 3.2 cumulative grade point average or better and be a starter of key reserve on their team.
Kubesch graduated in May 2006 with a 3.94 GPA in communications and just completed her second semester in her master's program. She carries a 3.67 GPA in her graduate sport and leisure concentration and was a 2006 CoSIDA Academic District IV First Team selection. Kubesch also is the school's nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
The Weimar, Texas, native ranks in the top 10 in nearly every pitching category and is the first Memphis pitcher to record more than 20 wins and 200 strikeouts in a season. Kubesch finished the regular season with a 23-10 record with a 2.24 ERA and 225 strikeouts. The senior is the reigning C-USA Pitcher of the Week and earned the honor three times during the season. Kubesch closed out the final two weeks 6-1 with a 0.68 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 51.1 innings of work to help Memphis capture its improbable entry into the C-USA Championship.
Kelso is a junior business accounting major with a 3.87 GPA. She was a first team All-West Region Academic All-American at Phoenix College and was a 2006 Tiger 3.0 Club member. Kelso is also a two-time C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll member.
The Phoenix, Ariz., native is third on the team in runs scored with 29 and has four home runs, seven doubles and 21 RBI. Kelso is second on the team and ranked in the top 10 in C-USA in walks with 27 and has a .357 on base percentage with a .377 slugging percentage. The junior catcher has thrown out eight would-be base stealers and picked off two runners. She scored the game-winning run in the second game against UCF this past week, helping the Tigers earn a sweep of the Knights to close out the season.
Marshall led the way with three members on the academic team, while Houston, Tulsa and UCF also placed two members on the inaugural squad. East Carolina, UAB and UTEP each had one member garner academic recognition.
The 2007 C-USA Softball Championship presented by Coca-Cola gets underway on Thursday, May 10 with four games at the UCF Softball Complex in Orlando, Fla. There will be four more games on Friday, May 11, while the championship game will take place at 3:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, May 12 and will be televised LIVE on CSTV.
Sixth seeded Memphis will start the tournament against No. 3 seed Tulsa on Thursday at 10 a.m. (EST).
2007 C-USA SOFTBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Name School Class GPA Major
Jessica Johnson East Carolina So. 3.62 Intended Merchandising
Katie Bush Houston So. 3.87 Kinesiology/Exercise Science
Jessica Valis Houston So. 3.26 Consumer Merchandising Science
Rachel Folden Marshall Jr. 3.20 Mathematics/History
Rachel Schmidt Marshall So. 3.85 Accounting/Economics
Amanda Luers Marshall Sr. 3.85 Sport Management/Marketing
Lindsay Kelso Memphis Jr. 3.87 Business Accounting
Jenna Kubesch Memphis Sr. 3.94/3.67 Communications/Sport and Leisure
Stephanie Chomicki Tulsa So. 3.70 Elementary Education
Sara Dyer Tulsa Jr. 3.92 Communications
Holly Krzan UAB Jr. 3.37 Special Education
Kacie Feaster UCF Sr. 3.84 Sports and Fitness
Ashley Van Ryn UCF Jr. 3.91 Hospitality Management
Rachael Schaeffer UTEP Jr. 3.82 Kinesiology/Pre-Physical Therapy
