LIVONIA, Mich. - The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Softball Team, selected by Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), were announced on Thursday and recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom and the Madonna University softball team had four student-athletes honored.

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) Player of the Year Kattie Popko and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) World Series All-Tournament Team honorees Maeson Schlaud and Veronica Pezzoni bring the Crusaders' All-District honorees to 13 in program history. The trio led the Crusaders to one of the deepest postseason runs in program history. 

Popko became the Crusaders' first-ever NAIA First Team All-American and earned the same honor for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). A native of Macomb, Michigan, Popko led the Crusaders with a .465 average, the highest mark in a single season in program history as she collected a career-high 66 hits, 18 doubles, and eight home runs while also adding a pair of triples. She struck out just seven times in 142 at-bats with 19 walks. She slugged .789 and had a .528 on-base percentage, both are single season program records. 

Pezzoni finished second on the team with a .399 average with 59 hits, 10 doubles, four triples, 38 runs scored, 18 RBI and finished the season 20-for-21 on the bases. The Howell, Michigan native was named WHAC First Team All-Conference and earned All-Tournament team honors at the World Series as she finished second in the tournament in average at .538 (7-for-13) and tied for the second-most stolen bases in the tournament with two.

A North Branch, Michigan native, Schlaud was stellar in the circle this season and finished with a 1.24 ERA, the second lowest in a single-season with a minimum of 40 innings pitched, but is the lowest of anyone with at least 100 innings as she tossed 102 innings and struck out 122. Her .214 opponent batting average is ninth-best. She went 3-0 in the Crusaders' first opening round championship with a 1.67 ERA and bracket-best 26 strikeouts. 

First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in late July. In order to be nominated, individuals must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average, been in attendance at Madonna for at least one academic year and be a starter or important reserve. 

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