WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Hartford junior Danielle Rocheleau from the softball team was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 1 First Team, the organization announced on Thursday. Rocheleau, an international studies and politics and government major, boasts a 3.90 GPA and has been an integral part of the Hawks' lineup.
 
Rocheleau is one of 11 players in District 1 ­­– comprised of student-athletes from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont – to earn First Team recognition. She is one of the three outfielders on the District 1 First Team, and one of just two America East players to achieve the recognition.
 
" I am really happy for Dani, she works so hard on the field and in the classroom," head coach Angie Churchill said. "She takes great pride in being a student-athlete and looks at the classroom just like she does a player. She wants to be a positive role model to young female athletes, that if they put the work in, they can be great too. Dani deserves this honor, and I couldn't be more proud for her."
 
To view the complete list of CoSIDA's Academic All-District honorees, click HERE.
 
Rocheleau becomes the fifth Hawk to be named to an Academic All-District Team by CoSIDA, and the first since fellow teammate Madison Hilimire earned First Team distinction in 2018.
 
To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution. Due to the low percentage of games completed this spring, nominees were considered based on career statistics and achievements rather than the 2020 season only. Rocheleau is now eligible for the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team, which will be announced next month.
 
CoSIDA began the distinguished Academic All-America program in the 1950s, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports and across all divisions with these elite Academic All-America scholar-athlete honors.