Gardner and Hage named CUSA All-Academic

DALLAS, Texas – WKU Softball’s Katie Gardner and Brylee Hage were selected to the Conference USA Softball All-Academic Team, the league announced Friday. The pitcher and outfielder were honored for their hard work in the classroom and on the field as the award is voted on by each academic advisors from around the conference.

Gardner, owns a 2.45 ERA with a 14-11 record and 117 strikeouts on the year to lead Conference USA. The Bowling Green native is a four-time Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll honoree, three-time CUSA Academic Medal recipient, NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete, and has spent several semesters on the WKU President’s and Dean’s Lists. This is the third All-Academic award of her five-year career, earning a 3.78 GPA as she graduates with her master’s degree in speech-language pathology this weekend.

Hage earns her first recognition on the Conference USA All-Academic Team, earning a 4.0 GPA in her organizational leadership master’s program. She is a regular on the WKU Dean’s List and three-time member of Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. The Nicholasville, Ky. native is hitting .329 on the season, picking up 48 hits and scoring 32 runs as the Tops’ primary leadoff hitter.

The fifth-year seniors will look to help the Hilltoppers in their final regular season series against UTEP, then the Conference USA Tournament in Las Cruces, N.M. next weekend.