Ball State University Athletics
Softball?s Barkley Earns Academic All-America Honors
May 27, 2011 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State Softball's senior shortstop Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) has earned 2011 Capital One Academic All-America University Division Softball Third Team honors, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Thursday.
Barkley's selection represents the 10th Academic All-America honor in the program's history and the second-consecutive season. Other Ball State players to be selected for this honor include Elizabeth Milian, who earned third team honors last season; Kris Burdine who collected third team accolades during 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).
As a first-year recipient of the honor, Barkley owns a 3.63 GPA as an exercise science major. The native of Oklahoma City, Okla. has started every game in her career with the Cardinals in the shortstop position. During her senior season, Barkley batted .351 with eight doubles, two triples and two home runs. Barkley also scored 50 runs and drove in 17 runs, in addition to tallying a team-high 20 stolen bases.
The award caps an astounding career with the Cardinals, as the four-year letterwinner has earned 2010 Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team, 2010 Second-Team All-MAC, 2010 MAC All-Academic, 2009 MAC Player of the Year, 2009 First-Team All-MAC, 2009 NFCA First-Team All-Region and 2008 MAC All-Freshman Team honors. In the MAC, Barkley ranks first in runs scored (50) and third in hits (72).
A total of 33 softball players were honored on the three tiers. Barkley joins Ohio's Mel Bonner as the only two players from the Mid-American Conference to earn the distinction.
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.
