June 25, 2018
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Three standout performers from the 2018 University of Notre Dame softball team have been honored for both academic and athletic achievement by the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Rising senior Cait Brooks and sophomores Abby Sweet and Alexis Holloway were selected as Notre Dame representatives on the annual All-ACC Academic Softball Team that was announced on Monday.
The ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, presented on Monday to Florida State’s Kylee Hanson, was established in September 2007 and is awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in their respective ACC sport.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Softball Team are a 3.0 GPA for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career for undergraduate students. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team. The three selections from Notre Dame in 2018 ranked third in the conference, trailing only the six representatives of Louisville and the four of league champion Florida State.
Brooks completed her junior campaign as Notre Dame’s leader with 38 RBI, chipping in a team-high nine home runs. Her nine multi-RBI games lead all Notre Dame hitters, and she chipped in a .397 on-base percentage after drawing 33 walks and added a .469 slugging percentage to rank third on the Irish roster in both categories. A 2018 ACC Championship All-Tournament Team selection, Brooks added a career year in the pitching circle for Notre Dame, posting a 1-1 record with a 3.50 ERA in 14 appearances (one start), limiting opponents to a .256 batting average against.
Sweet capped a sensational debut season by adding NFCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Third Team accolades to an already strong start as Notre Dame’s everyday center fielder. She ranked second on the Irish roster with a .333 batting average and 57 hits over 57 games, but paced the doubles (13), stolen bases (15) and runs scored (38) categories while adding a team-high .420 on-base percentage. Sweet also established a Notre Dame single-season record by being hit by pitch 22 times in 2018. Alongside classmate Holloway, Sweet captured an All-ACC Second Team and ACC All-Freshman Team sweep following a dynamic performance during the conference slate. The Newhall, California, native batted .294 with a team-high six doubles and 17 runs, chipping in 14 RBI and six stolen bases in 23 ACC starts. She added a .419 on-base percentage in league play on the strength of being hit by pitch on 13 different occasions.
Holloway became the third Notre Dame freshman in the ACC era to earn all-region first-team accolades, joining both Karley Wester (2014) and Ali Wester (2016). Holloway was the first Irish newcomer in the circle to be named to the top regional team in a given season since 2001, and just the third in program history. Holloway compiled a 22-15 mark during her 45 appearances in the regular season and the ACC Championship, posting a 2.55 ERA while starting 36 contests (22 complete games). She tossed five solo shutouts during her debut season, including the 44th no-hitter (37th solo) in program history on March 10 at NC State. The Crown Point native was tabbed to the All-ACC Second Team and the ACC All-Freshman Team after compiling an 8-6 record with a 2.23 ERA in league play, adding ACC Pitcher of the Week honors on March 13. Holloway led all Notre Dame pitchers in wins, ERA, appearances and starts after the first 53 games this season, contributing a team-high 170 strikeouts, four saves and a team-low .218 batting average against.
2018 All-ACC Academic Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Kylee Hanson, Gr., Florida State (Public Health)
2018 All-ACC Academic Softball Team
Allyson Frei, Sr., Boston College (Economics and Communication)
Cierra Cook, Fr., Boston College (Psychology and Sociology)
Rachel Abboud, Fr., Duke (Undeclared)
Peyton St. George, Fr., Duke (Undeclared)
Raine Wilson, So., Duke (Political Science)
Carsyn Gordon, Jr., Florida State (Sports Management)
Kylee Hanson, Gr., Florida State (Public Health)
Meghan King, Jr., Florida State (Family Child Science)
Cassidy Davis, So., Florida State (Biological Science)
Emily Anderson, Sr., Georgia Tech (Biology)
Draven Sonnon, Sr., Georgia Tech (Business Administration)
Cameron Stanford, Fr., Georgia Tech (Mechanical Engineering)
Caitlin Ferguson, So., Louisville (Exercise Science)
Celene Funke, So., Louisville (Finance)
Megan Hensley, Jr., Louisville (Exercise Science)
Jenna Jordan, Sr., Louisville (Exercise Science)
Sidney Melton, Jr., Louisville (Exercise Science)
Madelynn Newman, Fr., Louisville (Psychology)
Brittany Pickett, So., North Carolina (Exercise and Sport Science)
Kiani Ramsey, Jr., North Carolina (Exercise and Sport Science)
Cait Brooks, Jr., Notre Dame (Film, Television and Theatre)
Alexis Holloway, Fr., Notre Dame (Mechanical Engineering)
Abby Sweet, Fr., Notre Dame (Undeclared)
Olivia Gray, Jr., Pitt (Rehab Sciences)
Erin Hershman, Sr., Pitt (Communication Studies)
Giorgiana Zeremenko, Sr., Pitt (Exercise Science)
Bryce Holmgren, Jr., Syracuse (Biology)
Alexa Romero, So., Syracuse (Selected Studies in Education)
Allison Davis, Sr., Virginia (Commerce)
Carrie Eberle, So., Virginia Tech (Biology)
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