SAINT LEO, Fla. – Saint Leo senior, Kacie Kelly was named to the 2020 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) First Team Academic All-District® 5.
 
A biology major, Kelly is a four-year standout on the Saint Leo University softball team where she helped guide the team to a 130-58 overall record and a 58-35 mark in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) with one SSC championship title (2017), three postseason appearances (2017, 2018, 2019), one South Region title (2018), and one appearance in the Division II World Series (2018).
 
Kelly etched her name into the record books for her play on the diamond. After playing and starting 184 games in the Green and Gold, the Jacksonville, Fla. native ranks in the top-10 of seven career categories including first in walks (82), third in batting average (.402), hits (238), runs (147), and on-base percentage (.483), while she is fifth in doubles (46), and sixth in hit-by-pitches (14).
 
The senior middle infielder, who started her Saint Leo career at second base before moving over to shortstop the last two seasons, tied the single-season record for hits in a season with 80 her freshman season; Saint Leo Athletics Hall of Famer, Denyve Duncan, achieved the feat of 80 hits in her freshman campaign as well back in 2002.

Kelly is the first softball student-athlete to earn Academic All-District honors since 2018 when Brittany Creamer and Sommer Pollard both appeared on the list.  
 
Kelly was one of six student-athletes from the SSC where she was the lone infielder. Joining on the All-District® 5 First Team were Abbey Busby (Palm Beach Atlantic, P), Jayla Jackson (Embry-Riddle, P), Taylor Checkley (Barry University, OF), Cheyenne Nelson (Florida Tech, OF), Magnolia West (Palm Beach Atlantic, OF).
 
Honorees selected first-team Academic All-District®® will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. Academic All-America® honorees will be announced from June 8-11.
 
NCAA DIVISION II – DISTRICT 5 (Gulf South, Southern Intercollegiate, Sunshine State)
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name School GPA Yr. Major
P Abbey Busby Palm Beach Atlantic University 3.95 Jr. Exercise Science
P Hannah Creel Mississippi College 4.00 Jr. Communications
P Jayla Jackson Embry-Riddle University (Fla.) 3.82 Sr. Aeronautical Science
C Aly Fowler Spring Hill College 4.00 Sr. Biology
IF Brooklynn Frazier Lee University 3.89 Sr. Health Science
IF Logan Hill Valdosta State University 3.96 Sr. Health Sciences
IF Kacie Kelly Saint Leo University 3.38 Sr. Biology
IF Kiley Robb Valdosta State University 3.90 So. Health Sciences
IF Alley Taylor University of West Georgia 3.81 Jr. Sport Management
OF Taylor Checkley Barry University 4.00 Jr. Pre-Professional Biology / Pre-Med
OF Ashley Cornell University of Alabama in Huntsville 3.34 Sr. Kinesiology
OF Haley Garrett Valdosta State University 3.85 Sr. Biology
OF Cheyenne Nelson Florida Tech 3.94 So. Aerospace Engineering
OF Magnolia West Palm Beach Atlantic University 3.91 Sr. Biology
DP Jaycie Walker Auburn University at Montgomery 3.85 Sr. Kinesiology