The University of Louisville’s softball team received recognition as four of its players were named to the College Sports Communicators Softball Academic All-District team. Sam Booe, Easton Lotus, Elana Ornelas and Korbe Otis earned this honor by maintaining a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 while being starters or important reserves. The CSC Academic All-America program recognizes baseball and softball players in four divisions: NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.
Sam Booe, a sophomore from New Palestine, Ind., has performed remarkably in her second year, recording a 4-0 record and 34 strikeouts in 33.1 innings pitched, with a 2.94 ERA. She is an exercise science major and was named an NFCA Scholar-Athlete and named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll last season. Easton Lotus, a sophomore from New Lenox, Ill., has contributed significantly by starting every game at second base. Lotus holds a 10-game hitting streak and a 13-game on-base streak and has produced 12 multi-hit games for the Cardinals lineup. The exercise science major was an NFCA Scholar Athlete and named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll last year.
Elana Ornelas, a biology major from LaGrange, Ky., has been a part of the Cardinals’ roster for four years and has mainly played first base, third base and catcher. She was named an NFCA Scholar Athlete for two years and a three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member. She was also named a 2022 Arthur Ashe Sport Scholar first-team honoree. Korbe Otis, a speedy leadoff hitter and centerfielder from Littleton, Colo., earned All-ACC first-team honors during her impressive sophomore campaign. She leads the ACC and ranks fourth in the nation in triples with seven, has a .406 batting average, and has been perfect, going 21-for-21 in stolen bases. Last season, like her fellow players, she was also named an NFCA Scholar Athlete and named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll.
The University of Louisville softball team will open NCAA tournament play in the Knoxville Regional on Friday at 3 p.m. where they will take on Indiana in an ESPN2 televised game. The Cardinals are boasting a 35-18 record and will aim to extend their success in the tournament. The recognition of these four players adds more prestige to the softball program, where not only athletic performance but academic excellence is praised. The CSC Academic All-America program celebrates the nation’s top student-athletes for their contributions both on and off the field.
