Ball State University Athletics
Softball?s Milian Named To Academic All-America Third Team
May 26, 2010 | Softball
Milian's selection represents the ninth Academic All-America honor in the softball program's history and first in six years. Other Ball State players to be selected for this honor include Kris Burdine who was selected to the third team in the 2003 and 2004 seasons; Katie Shea who earned back-to-back first team honors in 2002 and 2003; Amy Doyle who earned first and second team honors in 1998 and 1999, respectively; first team honoree Laurie Whitcomb (1986); and honorable mention Lisa Lee (1985).
"I am excited to receive such an honor," said Milian. "At the beginning of the year, my goal was to be an All-American, so to combine school and sport in this selection to the Academic All-America team is a great feeling."
A total of 33 softball players were honored, including two pitchers, one catcher, four infielders, three outfielders and one designated player on each of the three tiers. Milian is the only player from the Mid-American Conference to be selected.
"This is truly a great honor for Elizabeth and for our softball program," says Ball State's head softball coach Craig Nicholson. "With pitchers from all over the country vying for one of the six available spots, it is not an easy task to get recognized. Being strong both athletically and academically, like Elizabeth, is something that every college athlete should strive to achieve."
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 on a scale of 4.00, 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 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.
A secondary mathematics education major and member of the 2008 and 2009 Academic All-MAC teams, Milian not only leads Ball State in the circle, but also tops the team academically with a 3.96 grade point average. Additionally, Milian was one of thirty softball players in the country to be nominated for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in 2010 and has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V First Team for two consecutive years.
Upon completing her student teaching requirement, which she will fulfill this fall by teaching sixth graders at Yorktown Middle School, Milian will graduate from Ball State in December.
A two-time All-MAC First Team selection and the MAC Tournament's most valuable player, Milian led Ball State on the mound in the 2010 MAC Tournament with a nearly flawless performance that clinched the tournament title for the Cardinals and the program's second-ever automatic bid to the NCAA Regional. Pitching all 28 innings, Milian maintained a 4-0 record, including two shutouts and one no-hitter, and allowed just four hits and two runs, while striking out 40 batters, for a tournament-leading 0.25 earned-run average.
The senior is the winningest pitcher in Ball State history and has tallied 32 victories this season and 85 in her career. The career mark ties her for the top-spot in the conference with Kent State's Kylie Reynolds. She is also the school's career and single season leader in strikeouts with 303 this season. In addition, Milian has been named the MAC West Division Player of the Week a conference-high seven times in 2010.
