Rachel Koch was named a College Division Softball First-Team Academic All-American.

Rachel Koch, a junior outfielder-shortstop from Denison, Iowa, was named to the 2016 College Division Academic All-America Softball First Team as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Koch has a 3.68 cumulative grade point average (GPA) with a major in biology.

Aside from her exploits in the classroom, Koch is one of the top players for a Morningside team that will take a 47-8 record and a No. 15 national ranking into the 2016 NAIA Softball World Series presented by Security National Bank and Morningside College to be held May 27 to June 2 at Morningside’s Elizabeth and Irving F. Jensen Softball Complex. Koch has collected a team-high 71 hits in 188 at-bats to lead the Mustangs in hitting with a .378 batting average and is second on the team with 13 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, and 42 RBIs.

Koch becomes the fourth softball player in Morningside history to be named a first-team Academic All-American, joining Erin Bohlmann in 2011, Cara DeStigter in 2009, and Jeree Carlson in 1996.

Athletes must be of at least sophomore academic status, be a starter or significant reserve, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher to be eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.

Click here for the complete 2016 College Division Academic All-America Softball Team.