May 13, 2009

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Five softball student-athletes from the Atlantic 10 Conference were named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honorees for their respective districts, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Senior designated player Mary Beth Puccio of Fordham, Temple junior catcher Krystle Metzler and senior infielder Katie Johns of Saint Louis were tabbed first-team All-District members and are now eligible for national Academic All-American consideration. Sophomore pitcher Bailey Sanders of Massachusetts and senior infielder Caroline Higdon of George Washington were named second-team honorees.

Puccio, a first-team Academic All-American a year ago, was an honorable mention All-Atlantic 10 selection this spring for the second consecutive year as well as being named the 2009 Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year. She finished the season hitting .301, fourth best on the squad and has recorded eleven doubles, five home runs and 38 RBI in 59 games this year. She is an accouting major with a 3.67 grade point average.

Metzler, a business management major with a 3.88 grade point average, was the Owls' starting catcher for all 40 games this season. She sported a .996 fielding percentage behind the plate while catching 12 runners stealing and was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Academic team.

Johns was named to the A-10 second-team All-Conference and the All-Academic squad after leading the league with 27 walks and a program and league-best .482 on-base percentage. Her 27 free passes are the second-most in a season at SLU and just one shy of tying the standard. The senior holds the Saint Louis career records for being hit by a pitch (27) and on-base percentage (.410). She has a 3.80 grade point average as a nutrition and dietetics major.

Puccio, Metzler and Johns were added to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America ballots due to first-team All-District plaudits.

Sanders has a 3.08 earned run average in ten appearances this season with a 1-3 record. She also has a 3.92 grade point average as a kinesiology major. In 25 innings pitched, she has allowed just 23 hits while striking out 15 batters and has two complete games on the season.

Higdon carries a 3.99 grade point average in accounting and batted .203 on the season for the Colonials. She has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in the infield to lead the squad defensively.