FROM IUP ATHLETICS:
IUP graduate infielder Kaitlynn Beers was named to the 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Division II Softball team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and announced on Wednesday.
Beers was one of 12 student-athletes who earned first team honors, with 33 total selections spread across three teams.
The CoSIDA Academic All-America® teams recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.
Beers earned her master’s degree in criminology this spring, boasting a 3.66 grade point average while also being named to a pair of all-region teams from her second base position. She received her undergraduate degree in criminology from IUP in spring 2020, finishing with a 3.80 grade point average.
A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District® selection (2020, 2021), this is Beers’ first career Academic All-America® honor.
Beers put together arguably the best offensive season in program history this spring, setting IUP records in batting average (.452) and slugging percentage (.933), while leading the Crimson Hawks in every major statistical category. She slugged 12 home runs in just 32 games, averaging a homer every 8.7 at-bats – another IUP record.
On April 19 she blasted her 29th career homer, putting her at the top as IUP’s all-time home run leader.
Beers earned first team all-conference honors for the third time in her career, which included player of the year honors in 2018 and the freshman of the year award in 2017. She’s a two-time All-Atlantic Region pick and finished her IUP career in the top-5 in seven categories, including home runs, RBI (113) and slugging percentage (.597).
This marks the eighth CoSIDA Academic All-America® honor for IUP softball and the first since Hannah Mercer was a second team pick in 2017. Beers is the third IUP softball player to earn first team honors, joining Molly Carr (1998, 1999) and Angela Hileman (2002).
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