Kylee Matern of the Mount Vernon Nazarene University softball team and Aaron Saal and Jake Glover of the baseball team were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 1 First Team on Thursday.
The 2020-21 Academic All-District Softball Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions – NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
First-Team Academic All-District honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot. First-, Second- and Third-Team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in late July.
Matern, who is from North Vernon, Ind., was electric from the lead-off spot for the Lady Cougars in 2021. Matern hit .451 (second in the Crossroads League) for MVNU on the season and had a slugging percentage of .660. Matern finished the season with a team-high 65 hits and led the entire nation in triples with 11.
Matern was a leader in the classroom as well. The outfielder wrapped up her sophomore year with a 3.79 GPA. Matern is currently majoring in biology (pre-physician).
The 2020-21 Academic All-District Baseball Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America program separately recognizes baseball honorees in four divisions – NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Along with being a standout at third base, Saal was a standout academically as well. The reigning Crossroads League Player of the Year completed his MBA in the spring with a 3.89 GPA.
The Wooster, Ohio, product led the Crossroads League in batting average at .414 and also ranked first in the league in hits with 82. He racked up 66 RBI as well. Saal finished with a .687 slugging percentage to go with 12 homers, 16 doubles and a triple.
Glover had a strong season on the field as well for the Cougars. Glover, who is from Miamisburg, Ohio, batted .352 to go with 69 RBI and 10 home runs. The junior sports management/business administration major finished the spring with a 3.65 GPA.
