Guilford's Hale Lands Academic All-District Honor

Greensboro, N.C. (5/7/09) -- Guilford College's Kelly Hale earned Second Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball honors Thursday from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). CoSIDA members nominated and selected the academic all-district teams.

The all-district squads are comprised of softball student-athletes from Division II and III institutions in the five-state area from Virginia to Florida. Nominees were starters or important reserves of sophomore academic standing or above who maintained at least a 3.3 grade point average.

Hale earned second-team academic all-district honors for the second straight season. The senior first baseman was an honorable mention All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) selection this spring after wrapping up a successful career with a .352 batting average, which ranked second on the team. She led the Quakers (for the third straight season) with five home runs and also stood second in doubles (9), RBIs (29) and slugging percentage (.581). Hale topped the team with seven multiple-RBIs games and finished fifth with 11 contests with two or more hits. Her .513 average with runners in scoring position ranked second in the league. She hit a club-high .423 in conference games, the ODAC's fifth-best figure, with seven doubles and 17 RBIs. Hale earned a spot on the ODAC's all-tournament team after hitting .364 with a homer and four RBIs in three games. She was three-for-four with a double, homer and four RBIs in Guilford's Mar. 18 win over Roanoke College. Hale tied the school record with two doubles among her three hits in Guilford's Apr. 8 game-one win at Randolph College.

Hale concludes her career with a .349 batting average in 159 games. She graduates with nine school career records, including home runs (20), RBIs (104), slugging percentage (.598) and fielding percentage (.971). The 2008 First Team All-ODAC and second team all-region selection also owns 10 of Guilford's season records and four single-game marks. Hale is a three-time Academic All-ODAC honoree and will earn her degree Saturday in health sciences and psychology.

Coach Dennis Shores' club enjoyed its finest season in school history. The Quakers went 26-13 (13-5 ODAC) and set 46 individual and team records, including overall and league victories. Guilford qualified for its second straight ODAC Tournament where it recorded a 1-2 record. Shores may return as many as 16 letter winners in 2010.