Welch and Lewis Tabbed Academic All-SLC
6/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
SLC Release
FRISCO, Texas -- Stephen F. Austin softball student-athletes Hannah Welch and Brittany Lewis have each been selected to the Southland Conference All-Academic First Team, as announced by the league office on Tuesday morning. The league academic honor is the first for both Welch and Lewis.
Both Ladyjacks were automatic selections to this year's first team after being honored as Capital One Academic All-District First Team selections at the beginning of May. SFA was the only school represented on either of the two academic All-SLC teams that could boast two Academic All-District picks this season. SFA was also one of only three programs that had multiple honorees on the league's first team (Northwestern State and Houston Baptist).
Welch, a junior pitcher from Nacogdoches, earns a spot on the conference academic squad after boasting a 3.95 GPA as a communication disorders major. While getting it done in the classroom, Welch also had one of her best seasons in the circle for the Ladyjacks. She finished the season with the second best ERA for the SFA pitching staff, posting a 5.31 ERA in 17 games, including 10 starts. She compiled a 3-3 record overall with three complete games in 54.0 innings of work.
Lewis picks up the academic all-conference nod as a designated player thanks to her contributions on the field and 3.54 GPA as an interdisciplinary studies major. The sophomore from Allen, Texas had a solid season for SFA in 2015. She led the team in batting average (.329), doubles (9), home runs (10), RBI (41) and slugging percentage (.586) over 49 games -- 48 starts -- during the season. She secured her place as one of the best offensive threats in the league and earned Second Team All-Southland Conference recognition for her efforts in 2015.
The all-academic teams are voted on by the head coaches, sports information directors and academic/compliance administrators from each Southland institution. Student-athletes must possess a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution and participated in at least 50 percent of the team's competition to qualify for the all-academic squad.
2015 Southland Conference Softball All-Academic Teams
First Team
Kellye Kincannon -- Northwestern State
Taylor Johnson -- Incarnate Word
Cecilia Bauer -- Houston Baptist
Lauren Langner -- McNeese State
Brittany Virgoe -- Northwestern State
Hannah Welch -- Stephen F. Austin
Brittany Lewis -- Stephen F. Austin
Brittney Jones -- Northwestern State
Kylee Studioso -- Central Arkansas
Melissa Herman -- Houston Baptist
Liz Carter -- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Taylor Brown -- Abilene Christian
Second Team
Jessie Taylor -- Central Arkansas
Hannah Haydel -- Nicholls State
Casey Cromwell -- Lamar
Taylor Schmidt -- McNeese State
Mackinzee Griebel -- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Emily Vincent -- McNeese State
Lindsey Hood -- Incarnate Word
Kristin Hebert -- Incarnate Word
Hayley Galloway -- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Brooke Morris -- Nicholls State
Briana Whisenhunt -- Central Arkansas
Sarah Allison -- Sam Houston State 
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