Central, SC – The College Sports Communicators (CSC) Softball Academic All-District honorees were released last week. The 2025 Academic All-District® Softball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. The Warriors were honored as five ladies were among those named to the 2025 Academic All-District team.
Among the five ladies represented by the Warriors were two pitchers in Emily Collins and Olivia Haag, and three position players in Avery Mercer, Talissa Cannady and Riley Brown.
Emily Collins, who transferred in this past semester for the Warriors, is a junior Biology major. Collins started in 16 of the 20 games she appeared in her first season with the Warriors. Over the 83.2 innings she pitched, the Virginia native struck out 69 batters and posted a 3.76 ERA. She was joined on the Academic All-District team by fellow pitcher Olivia Haag. Haag joined the Warriors last season after spending her freshman season at Truett-McConnell. She is also a junior who is studying Computer Information Systems. Haag started in nine of the 14 games she appeared in and struck out 55 batters over 59.0 innings pitched.
They were joined on the team by three key position players for the Warriors. First baseman and senior Avery Mercer has been majoring in Physical Education during her time at SWU. In her final season with the Warriors, she led the team in batting average as she hit .406 while picking up 54 hits including 13 doubles and 12 home runs. She drove in 31 runs during the year. Outfielders Talissa Cannady and Riley Brown were also recognized. Cannady, a senior out of Abbeville, SC, was third on the team in home runs as she sent nine out of the park. She posted a .279 average and brought 33 runs in to score for the Warriors. She also went 13-14 in stolen base attempts. Sophomore Riley Brown started in 32 games for the Warriors in center field. Brown collected 11 hits in the season including two doubles. She also went 6-7 in stolen base attempts.
The CSC Academic All-District® teams include the student-athletes listed here. Conference Carolinas had 32 student-athletes recognized from 10 institutions. To see all of the athletes from Conference Carolinas who were honored, visit here.
Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced June 17, 2025.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs. The NAIA CSC Academic All-America® program is partially financially supported through the NAIA governance structure.
