From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Case Western Reserve University junior KaiLi Gross, an infielder on the Spartan softball team, was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America First Team.
Gross becomes the second student-athlete in program history to earn multiple Academic All-America selections, after she was named to the Third Team last year. Former Spartan Ilissa Hamilton received First Team honors in 2020 and Second Team honors in 2019. It is the seventh all-time selection to one of the Academic All-America Teams for a student-athlete on the softball team, following Sarah Miller (2021, First Team), Hamilton, Katie Wede (2018, First Team), and Makenzie Lein (2014, Second Team).
Since the program's inception, a total of 106 Case Western Reserve student-athletes have been named Academic All-Americans, compiling 146 selections. Gross is the 14th Spartan to earn Academic All-America honors for the 2022-23 academic year, an institution record, and the fifth to be named to the Academic All-America First Team.
Gross, a biomedical engineering major with a 4.0 cumulative grade point average, started every game for CWRU at shortstop, hitting .378 with a .429 on-base percentage and .642 slugging percentage. She set a single-season program record with seven triples and added four home runs and drove in 34 runs. Gross led the team with 32 stolen bases in 32 attempts. She earned an All-University Athletic Association First Team selection for the second straight season and is a two-time UAA All-Academic honoree. For her career, she has a .386 batting average, 14 home runs, and 64 stolen bases, all of which rank in the top 10 in program history.
The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA. The Division III CSC Academic All-America programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2022-23 Divisions III Academic All-America programs.
To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at their current institution, and be selected to an Academic All-District team.
The CWRU softball team, which received the highest ranking in program history from the NFCA, finished the season with a record of 38-5. The Spartans tied a program record with their 38 wins and set a school record with 20 consecutive victories earlier in the season. Case Western Reserve won the UAA and earned selection to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history.