STANFORD, Calif. – Numerous academic honors, a top-10 Pac-12 win and career-years for multiple players highlighted Stanford's 2017 season.
The Cardinal was led by a veteran trio and a wealth of young talent. Senior Kylie Sorenson led the team in batting (.366) for the third time in four seasons, while classmates Bessie Noll hit a career-best .311 and Lauren Bertoy registered career highs in nearly every offensive category.
Stanford regularly started at least three freshmen and eight of its 11 underclassmen played in at least half of the Cardinal's games.
Stanford led the Pac-12 with nine all-academic honors, including a conferece-best seven members on the first and second teams. It is the third consecutive year Stanford has led the Pac-12 in first- and second-team selections.
Noll was named the first Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in program history.
Sorenson was named an NFCA All-West Region third team selection and claimed Pac-12 All-Conference recognition for the fourth time of her career.
The Cardinal graduated three senior starters but the future remains bright with 17 letterwinners returning and a talented incoming freshman class.
ALL-REGION RECOGNITION
• Kylie Sorenson earned the first National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region honor of her career. She was selected to the third team at shortstop.
DUO EARN CONFERENCE HONORS
• Kylie Sorenson earned All-Pac-12 second team honors and Bessie Noll was named to the All-Defensive team.
• It is the fourth year Sorenson has earned all-conference recognition and the third time she has been named to the second team.
• Noll claimed the first all-defensive honor of her career. Noll boasted one of the strongest arms in the country and prevented extra-base hits with her coverage in the gaps as a center fielder.
BEST IN CLASS
• Bessie Noll was named the first Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Stanford softball history. Noll excelled in the classroom as a mechanical engineering major and held a 3.73 GPA.
COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT RECOGNITION
• Stanford was one of six NCAA Division I softball programs to have three players earn academic all-district honors. Stanford was represented by its senior class with Lauren Bertoy (biomechanical engineering, 3.88 GPA), Bessie Noll (mechanical engineering, 3.75) and Kylie Sorenson (psychology, 3.69) earning recognition.
LEADING THE PAC-12 IN ACADEMICS
• Stanford earned a program-record five Pac-12 All-Academic first team selections. The Cardinal led the conference with nine selections overall, including a conference-best seven members on the first and second teams. It is the third consecutive year Stanford has led the Pac-12 in first- and second-team selections.
• Stanford was represented on the first team by Lauren Bertoy (biomechanical engineering, 3.87 GPA), Kaitlyn Lagattuta (computer science, 3.77), Carolyn Lee (mechanical engineering, 3.99), Bessie Noll (mechanical engineering, 3.73) and Kylie Sorenson (psychology, 3.68).
• Victoria Molina (psychology, 3.68) and Lauren Wegner (biology, 3.68) represented the Cardinal on the second team, while Whitney Burks and Arden Pettit earned honorable mention recognition.
