University of North Carolina Athletics
Lynch, Pickett Earn All-ACC Academic Honors
June 29, 2017 | Softball, Academics
GREENSBORO – Second Team All-American Kendra Lynch and ACC Freshman of the Year Brittany Pickett were named to the 2017 All-ACC Academic Team after excelling both on the field and in the classroom. The duo combined to earn 33 of the Heels' 40 victories in the circle while totaling 33 home runs at the plate.
Lynch, who graduated in May with a degree in exercise and sport science, takes home All-ACC Academic honors for the second consecutive season after earning a spot on the ACC Academic Honor Roll in 2015 and 2016. The recipient of a UNC Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award and a Leader of Distinction from the Carolina Leadership Academy, Lynch set Carolina single-season records for RBIs (68) and total bases (144) while launching the second-most home runs (21) in program history. An All-America and All-ACC honoree, she finished second all time at UNC in career slugging percentage, home runs and RBIs and third in total bases. Lynch plans to continue her academic and athletic career at Florida State this fall, serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the five-time defending ACC Champions while pursuing a Master's Degree in sport management.
A Top-10 Finalist for NFCA/Schutt Sports National Freshman of the Year and NFCA All-Southeast Region Second Team selection, Brittany Pickett turned heads in the circle and at the plate in 2017. The hard-throwing lefty went 22-10 with a 2.81 ERA and a school-record six saves with 151 strikeouts and just 46 walks over 221.2 innings pitched. She was a part of all nine of UNC's shutouts, including five complete games, while hitting .299 with a .585 slugging percentage and 12 home runs. She turned up the heat during conference play, batting .328 with a .724 slugging percentage to earn All-ACC First Team, ACC Freshman of the Year and a spot on the inaugural ACC All-Freshman Team. A native of Indian Trail, North Carolina, Pickett is pursuing a degree in nursing.
To be eligible for the All-ACC Academic team, student-athletes must post a grade point average of 3.0 or higher for the 2017 spring semester as well as a 3.0 cumulative GPA for her career. Athletic achievements are then factored in to select from the list of nominees. The ACC Honor Roll, which recognizes all conference student-athletes with a 3.0 GPA for the 2016-17 academic year, will be released in July.
Pickett and Lynch were among 30 softball student-athletes to earn 2017 ACC All-Academic honors, headlined by ACC Softball Scholar Athlete of the Year Alex Powers. The Seminoles' first baseman, who is currently working towards her master's degree in sport management, led Florida State to an unprecedented 24-0 mark in ACC play and a return to the NCAA Super Regionals. The Senior CLASS Award recipient slugged .733 during conference play and earned NFCA Third-Team All-America.
2017 ACC Softball Scholar Athlete of the Year
Alex Powers, R-Sr., Florida State
2017 All-ACC Academic Softball Team
Taylor Coroneos, Sr., Boston College
Sydney Broderick, Sr., Florida State
Ellie Cooper, Sr., Florida State
Meghan King, R-So., Florida State
Morgan Klaevemann, Jr., Florida State
Dani Morgan, Fr., Florida State
Alex Powers, R-Sr., Florida State
Anna Shelnutt, Fr., Florida State
Emily Anderson, Jr., Georgia Tech
Jessica Kowalewicz, Sr., Georgia Tech
Caitlin Ferguson, Fr., Louisville
Jordan McNary, Sr., Louisville
Morgan Meyer, Sr., Louisville
Jade Caraway, Fr., NC State
Molly Martin, Sr., NC State
Kendra Lynch, Sr., North Carolina
Brittany Pickett, Fr., North Carolina
Katie Beriont, Jr., Notre Dame
Katie Marino, Fr., Notre Dame
Rachel Nasland, Sr., Notre Dame
Kimmy Sullivan, Sr., Notre Dame
Karley Wester, Sr., Notre Dame
Olivia Gray, So., Pitt
Kaitlin Manuel, Sr., Pitt
Samantha Fernandez, Jr., Syracuse
Allison Davis, Jr., Virginia
Erika Osherow, So., Virginia
Breanna Davenport, Jr., Virginia Tech
Carrie Eberle, Fr., Virginia Tech
Vanessa Gonzalez, Sr., Virginia Tech
