Linfield University's Kaili Saathoff, the starting first baseman on the Wildcats' softball team, stood out in a crowded room of talented and gifted NCAA Division III student-athletes Wednesday night. 
 
During the pre-tournament banquet of the eight teams competing at this week's NCAA Softball Championship, Tournament Director Brad Duckworth announced Saathoff as the 2023 recipient of Division III softball's Elite 90 Award. The prestigious academic honor is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championship events.
 
Saathoff, a sophomore from Philomath, Oregon, becomes the second Linfield softball player to earn the lofty award. Former Wildcats second baseman Kenzie Schmoll received the honor, known then as the Elite 89 Award, in 2015.
 
According to the NCAA, the Elite 90 Award "recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among her peers."
 
A mathematics major, Saathoff maintains a spotless 4.00 grade point average. On the diamond, she has started 49 of 50 games while earning first team all-Northwest Conference honors, first team all-West Region recognition, and second team NFCA All-America acclaim.

During her first season as a full-time starter this spring, Saathoff led the Wildcats with a .455 batting average, scoring 63 runs, driving home 37 runs and stealing 23 bases. She helped her team advance through the Northwest Conference Tournament, McMinnville Regional and McMinnville Super Regional to reach this week's NCAA Championship.
 
Saathoff was recently named to a College Sports Communicators All-District X team and remains under strong consideration for the Academic All-America team, which will be announced Tuesday, June 6, by the CSC.