Photo by: Steve Branscombe
Croker, Nielsen and Vejvoda Nab Spot On CSC Academic All-District Team.
5/16/2023 11:10:00 AM | Softball
OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton softball senior Saren Croker and juniors Cayla Nielsen and Madeline Vejvoda were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team on Tuesday, May 16.
The 2023 Academic All-District ® Softball Team, selected by CSC, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for the combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America ® program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions, NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Croker, Nielsen and Vejvoda are the first Bluejays to receive recognition from CSC since Sam Crowley earned Academic All-District honors in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The Bluejays
Three honorees are the most ever by the Creighton softball team in a single season and all three Bluejays advance and will be listed on the CSC Academic All-America Ballot. Academic All-America honorees will be announced in early June.
Excelling in the classroom and on the court, Croker recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science with a 3.84 GPA. The Cottage Grove, Minn. native will return to Creighton in the fall after being accepted in the Physician Assistant program last fall. The three-time Academic All-BIG EAST and NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honoree posted a .319 batting average, while racking up 38 hits this season.
A nursing major, Nielsen entered the spring with a 3.83 GPA. A seven-time member of the Creighton honor roll, Nielsen has also earned NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete recognition once and was named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team three times. On the field, Nielsen closed out the 2023 season by earned unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST honors, while pacing the Bluejays with a .395 batting average, a .650 slugging percentage and a .486 on-base percentage. Nielsen also recorded a team-high 62 hits, becoming the first Bluejay to collect 60 or more hits in a season since Ellen Homan in 2021. She led the team with 43 runs scored and six stolen bases, while ranking second on the team in doubles with 11, second in walks with 24, and third in home runs with nine. In all, the Blair, Neb. native currently ranks eighth on Creighton's career batting average list with a .329 mark.
Earning her first CSC Academic All-District honor, Vejvoda graduated with a bachelor's degree in Healthy Lifestyle Management while boasting a 3.72 cumulative GPA. A seven-time member of the Creighton honor roll and a NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, Vevjoda helped the Bluejays to 22 wins this season while holding a .302 batting average. The La Vista, Neb. native was one of two Bluejays to start all 53 games this season and lead the team with two triples. Vejvoda ranked third on the team with 48 total hits, including eight doubles and two home runs, while scoring 31 runs.
The 2023 Academic All-District ® Softball Team, selected by CSC, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for the combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America ® program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions, NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Croker, Nielsen and Vejvoda are the first Bluejays to receive recognition from CSC since Sam Crowley earned Academic All-District honors in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The Bluejays
Three honorees are the most ever by the Creighton softball team in a single season and all three Bluejays advance and will be listed on the CSC Academic All-America Ballot. Academic All-America honorees will be announced in early June.
Excelling in the classroom and on the court, Croker recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science with a 3.84 GPA. The Cottage Grove, Minn. native will return to Creighton in the fall after being accepted in the Physician Assistant program last fall. The three-time Academic All-BIG EAST and NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honoree posted a .319 batting average, while racking up 38 hits this season.
A nursing major, Nielsen entered the spring with a 3.83 GPA. A seven-time member of the Creighton honor roll, Nielsen has also earned NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete recognition once and was named to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team three times. On the field, Nielsen closed out the 2023 season by earned unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST honors, while pacing the Bluejays with a .395 batting average, a .650 slugging percentage and a .486 on-base percentage. Nielsen also recorded a team-high 62 hits, becoming the first Bluejay to collect 60 or more hits in a season since Ellen Homan in 2021. She led the team with 43 runs scored and six stolen bases, while ranking second on the team in doubles with 11, second in walks with 24, and third in home runs with nine. In all, the Blair, Neb. native currently ranks eighth on Creighton's career batting average list with a .329 mark.
Earning her first CSC Academic All-District honor, Vejvoda graduated with a bachelor's degree in Healthy Lifestyle Management while boasting a 3.72 cumulative GPA. A seven-time member of the Creighton honor roll and a NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete, Vevjoda helped the Bluejays to 22 wins this season while holding a .302 batting average. The La Vista, Neb. native was one of two Bluejays to start all 53 games this season and lead the team with two triples. Vejvoda ranked third on the team with 48 total hits, including eight doubles and two home runs, while scoring 31 runs.
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