SEWARD, Neb. – Two Bulldogs represented head coach Todd LaVelle’s softball program on the list of 2017 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, released on Wednesday (May 31) by the NAIA. Junior Elizabeth Plasek and senior Megan Ruppert garnered Scholar-Athlete recognition. Plasek, who hails from Bee, Neb., is majoring in psychology and behavioral science. A native of McCook, Neb., Ruppert continues to pursue degrees in secondary education and English.
In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status. A total of 395 softball student-athletes across the nation were named 2017 Scholar-Athletes by the NAIA.
Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 1,279 and counting (27 for the fall athletics season). The 2015-16 season produced a GPAC best 92 Bulldog scholar-athletes and a national best 20 NAIA Scholar-Teams. The 2014-15 season culminated with GPAC-leading totals of 94 Bulldog scholar-athletes and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams. During the 2013-14 academic year, Concordia garnered 101 Scholar-Athlete honorees (most in the NAIA) and 17 NAIA Scholar-Teams (tied for fourth nationally).
2017 Softball Scholar-Athletes
Elizabeth Plasek, Jr. | Bee, Neb. | Psychology/Behavioral Science
Megan Ruppert, Sr. | McCook, Neb. | Secondary Education/English