May 3, 2014

BLUFFTON, Ohio - Bluffton's JESS KUZARA (Flat Rock, Mich./Huron) was recently named Academic All-District by CoSida. Kuzara was named first team All-District. She was the only Heartland Conference softball player to be honored in District 7. Kuzara is the first Bluffton softball player to be recognized as Academic All-District by CoSIDA since Sarah Betts and Michelle Pleiman were honored following the 2004 campaign.

Kuzara, who was an Academic All-HCAC selection in her first year of eligibility as a sophomore, ranks at or near the top of the Heartland Conference in RBI, runs scored, hits, batting average, home runs, slugging percentage, triples, doubles and total bases. She has been the backbone in a lineup that blistered HCAC pitching with a .377 team batting average in conference play.

To be nominated for the CoSIDA Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average at his/her current institution. Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games at the position listed on the nomination form. No student-athlete is eligible until he/she has completed one full calendar year at his/her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility.

By earning first team honors, Jess Kuzara is automatically placed on the ballot for consideration on the Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-America team which  will be released later in May. The CoSIDA All-District teams are selected and voted  on by the sports information directors who are members of CoSIDA.

-BEAVERS-