Wednesday, April 3, 2024
by Evan O'Kelly, Assistant Commissioner For Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. – A total of 66 student-athletes from Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball teams earned academic all-conference presented by Barnes & Noble College for the 2024 season announced by the conference office on Wednesday.

Among the group of award winners were 40 repeat selections and 26 first-time picks, a pair of perfect 4.0 GPAs and one player with the rare distinction of being selected for a fifth time.

2024 GNAC Softball Academic All-Conference Team – Presented By Barnes & Noble College

Total Selections: 66 | Fifth-year: 1 | Fourth-year: 6 | Third-year: 12 | Second-year: 21 | First-year: 26

*-2023 selection | #-2022 selection | !-2021 selection | $-2020 selection

Payton Meyer of Montana State Billings became the first-ever GNAC softball player to garner five academic all-conference honors, having earned the award each season dating back to the 2020 campaign. Six other players earned the honor for a fourth season, including Central Washington’s Alyssa Benthagen, MSUB’s Marin Penney, Northwest Nazarene’s Sidney Booth and Abigail Gagnon, Simon Fraser’s Megan Duclos and Western Washington’s Taylor Khorrami.

Britney Patrick of Saint Martin’s and Carly Turpen of Western Oregon had the top GPAs in the conference, each sporting a perfect 4.0. Patrick, a senior completing her degree in business administration, claimed the award for the third time in her career. Central Washington led all GNAC schools with a total of 17 academic all-conference selections, including four third-year picks, six repeat selections and six newcomers.

To qualify for the GNAC all-academic teams, nominees must be of sophomore eligibility or greater, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 or greater on a 4.00 scale, be on the team roster for the full season and must be in their second year at the nominating institution.