From Washington University Athletics
Washington University in St. Louis sophomore shortstop Taylor Arends was selected to the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America Division III Softball Third Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Arends is the ninth softball student-athlete in the 18-year history of the program to earn Academic All-America honors, and just the third to earn the honor as a sophomore joining Liz Swary (2003) and Kelsey Neal (2012). She is also just one of two sophomores to earn Academic All-America honors in 2017.
"This is a tremendous honor for Taylor that is well deserved," said WashU head coach Michelle Venturella. "She embodies what it means to be a student-athlete in every sense. We are proud of her for continuing to be an example of what it means to be the best."
Arends was a first-team all-University Athletic Association (UAA) and second-team National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) all-Midwest region selection in 2017. She started all 41 games at shortstop and hit a team-high .418 with one homerun and 31 RBIs.
Arends was first in the UAA in triples (3) and third in RBIs (31) and hits (58), and was also second on the squad with 18 multiple-hit games. She earned UAA Hitter of the Week honors three times this season.
A 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-District Five and Academic all-UAA selection, Arends has a 3.95 grade point average while majoring in psychological and brain sciences with a minor in healthcare management.
In order to be selected to the Academic All-America team, a student-athlete must possess at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA, and be at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing.
WashU finished the 2017 season with a 27-14 overall record and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the 15th time in the last 16 years. The Bears were also the 2017 UAA Champion.