WAYNESBURG, Pa. (May 27) – Five members of the Waynesburg University softball team earned Academic All-District recognition from College Sports Communicators (CSC) for their excellence in the classroom and on the diamond.

Senior pitcher Sydney Wilson (Pentress, W.Va. / Clay-Battelle) and senior second baseman Grace Higgins (Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan) repeated as CSC Academic All-District selections. Junior designated player Bella DeMark (Carnegie, Pa. / Bishop Canevin), junior catcher Alyssa Rager (Washington, Pa. / Trinity), and senior outfielder/first baseman Breanna Rice (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) each were honored for the first time.

Wilson, a 2025 PAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and an early childhood and special education major with a 3.68 cumulative grade-point average, capped a record-breaking career with another strong season in the circle. She posted a 13-6 record with a 2.13 ERA over 128.0 innings and struck out 130 batters. A four-time All-PAC selection, Wilson ranks first in program history in wins (59), ERA (1.70), and strikeouts (486).

Higgins, a senior early childhood education major with a 3.61 GPA, earned All-PAC First Team recognition after putting together one of the most prolific offensive seasons in school history. She set single-season school records with a .476 batting average and 25 stolen bases while scoring 33 runs, the third-most ever by a Jacket. She ended her career as the program's all-time leader in stolen bases (56), and ranks second in career batting average (.410) and third in hits (143) and runs (92) scored.

DeMark, a junior early childhood and special education major with a 3.93 GPA, was named All-PAC Honorable Mention as a designated player after batting .326 in 2025. She tallied nine multi-hit games and drove in 18 runs, including six multi-RBI performances.

Rager, a junior pre-pharmacy major with a 3.73 GPA, hit .319 and finished second on the team with 21 RBI. Rager added four doubles, one home run, and tied for the team lead with four sacrifice flies. She led the team with eight two-out RBI and strung together a six-game hitting streak during the season.

Rice, a senior health and exercise science major with a 3.57 GPA, hit .307 and ranked third on the team in RBI (20) and fourth in hits (27). Rice delivered seven multi-hit efforts, including a walk-off single to defeat Allegheny in extra innings. She hit .400 with runners in scoring position and was named PAC Hitter of the Week on March 3.

CSC's Academic All-District program honors the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performance on the field and in the classroom. To be eligible, student-athletes must have at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA and must be at least a sophomore both academically and athletically. Select Academic All-District honorees now advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot, with national teams to be announced in June.