Complete America East Release
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Amanda Dilworth and Sara Messinger, a pair of University of Hartford softball graduates, were named to the 2010 America East Softball All-Academic Team as announced by the conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Messinger, a repeat All-Academic honoree hailing from New Egypt, N.J., posted the second highest grade point average on the conference's All-Academic squad. A three-time NFCA Scholar-Athlete and America East Commissioner's Honor Roll member, Messinger graduated last month from the Barney School of Business with a team-best cumulative GPA of 3.88.
On the field, Messinger played in 28 games while making 27 starts in 2010. The catcher closed out her senior campaign with eight RBI and 10 runs scored while connecting for 12 hits, including five doubles. Messinger logged time in 111 games career and appeared in the starting lineup in all but nine contests. During her four-year career at Hartford, she batted .220 with 33 RBI and 39 runs scored. In addition, one third of her 59 career hits went for extra bases, including 14 doubles and five home runs. Messinger entered Hartford's record book after recording 21 walks in 2009, the third-most by a Hawk in a single season.
Dilworth, who recently landed a spot on the 2010 America East All-Conference Second Team, graduated from the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions last month with a degree in human services. The Jackson, N.J. native earned NFCA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2008 and was a two-time America East Academic Honor Roll member and an America East Commissioner's Honor Roll selection in 2008.
Dilworth led Hartford's offense in 2010 with a career-best .343 batting average while recording a team leading 22 runs scored and 22 walks. The second baseman registered 36 hits, third-best on the team, including nine doubles and a triple. Dilworth also led the Hawks through conference play, connecting for a team-best 15 hits while swiping three bases. A four-year letterwinner who started and played in 137 games, Dilworth etched her name in Hartford's all-time record book, ranking fourth in stolen bases (34) and fifth in walks (57).
The All-Academic teams are a product of the June 2005 Athletics Directors meeting where faculty representatives and athletics directors from each of the conference's nine member institutions are nominated by member sports information directors and voted on by a committee of SIDs, academic advisors and faculty representatives from all nine member institutions.
All-Academic squads for team sports are based on the number of athletes that participate in a contest at one time (e.g., 10 in the lineup for softball) but can be more if there is a tie in voting. To be nominated for the distinction, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve for their team and participate in at least 50 percent of their team's games or competitions. In the classroom, student-athletes must have a 3.30 GPA and have completed at least one calendar year at their institution. Freshmen are not eligible for consideration.
