ROCKFORD, Ill. - Rockford University senior catcher Candace Kipp has been named a Second Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (Formerly CoSIDA). There were a total of just 37 softball players selected between all three of the NCAA Division III CSC Academic All-America Teams, including only four catchers. Kipp becomes the fifteenth student-athlete in school history, just the third female student-athlete (Dianne Weder-1983 and Tina Palmieri-1984) and the first RU softball player to be named a CSC Academic All-American. 

After being named CSC Academic All-District last month, Kipp advanced to the All-America ballot, which is voted on annually by sports information directors across the country. In order to even be eligible to be selected Academic All-America, student-athletes must meet a rigorous set of criteria. The student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher at his or her current institution, must participate in at least 50% of the team's games or have a minimum of 10 innings pitched and have completed at least one full year at his or her current institution. 

Candace Kipp led Rockford in almost every offensive category and finished with one of the best season's in program history. Kipp broke the school and NACC single-season record with an astounding 42 walks and led all NCAA Division III softball players averaging 1.05 walks per game. She also finished the year ranked sixth in the country with a .578 on-base percentage. In the NACC, Kipp ended the season in the top 15 in nine categories. She led the conference in walks (45), finished second in doubles (15) and runners caught stealing (14), third in on-base percentage (.578), fourth in OPS (1.195), ninth in batting average (.402) and hit by pitch (4), eleventh in slugging percentage (.617) and fifteenth in runs scored (33). Kipp finished her two-year career as a Regent with a .387 batting average, a .516 on-base percentage and a .618 slugging percentage. She also tallied 32 doubles, 6 home runs, 52 runs batted in, scored 59 runs and walked 54 times.  

Please click the link below for a complete listing of the 2023 CSC Academic All-America Softball Teams.

2023 CSC Academic All-America Softball Teams