Eight Lady Roadrunners earn academic honors

Eight State Fair Community College Lady Roadrunners have earned Easton/NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete Awards from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association for their academic studies. Student-athletes must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (or higher) for the academic year to be eligible for the award.

Sophomore pitcher Aleah Paxton of Lincoln, sophomore catcher/third baseman Brooke Conner of Sweet Springs, freshman catcher/second baseman Haley Mackey of Lincoln, freshman first baseman Olivia Butler of Holden, and freshman pitcher Tabitha Imhoff of Jefferson City all achieved 4.0 grade point averages. Freshman pitcher/infielder Averi Eckhoff of Houstonia, freshman outfielder Ellie Eckert of Auxvasse, and freshman infielder Kelsey Webb of Oak Grove also were honored for having grade point averages of 3.5 or above.

Academic success is something that Lady Roadrunners Head Coach Lyndsey Talbot, her staff, and student-athletes continue to emphasize and make a priority.

"I always tell our girls that you can play softball for up to four years, and you will be working for the rest of your life," said Talbot. "They know that they need to take their academics seriously, because if they don't get the grades, they won't be playing softball anyway. We do tons of grade checks. From the time I recruit them, they know that academics will be a huge part of our program."

David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics