Senior catcher Ashlyn Aven and junior outfielder Meara Sain shined on the field, previously earning NFCA First Team All-America honors prior to the Division III National Championship Finals, but also got it done inside the classroom. Both Linfield University softball stars claimed coveted College Sports Communicators (CSC) First Team Academic All-America honors for the first time in their already decorated careers on the diamond.
The only representatives from the Northwest Conference, both Aven and Sain led the country statistically at the plate, helping Linfield finish fifth in the NCAA DIII Softball National Tournament a month ago. Sain, a native of Eugene, Oregon, led the nation with 33 doubles as well as clubbing 87 hits. From Yelm, Washington, Aven's power was on display nearly all-season long, leading the country in home runs (25) and runs batted in (89) .
 
Earning CSC's Academic All-District honors requires student-athletes to have participated in over 90% of a team's games, while maintaining a cumulative 3.50 or better grade point average. From there, student-athletes of each division are voted upon by athletic communicators from across the country to represent the nation's top students and athletes. 
 
Behind the dish for all 51 games this season, Aven slugged .970 with a .409 batting average, striking out just four times, all career-bests. She earned the title as the nation's top catcher from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association prior to the national tournament, while also maintaining a 3.70 cumulative GPA in Exercise Science and Physical Education. She graduated with her degree while in Salem, Virginia, alongside her teammates and family following the conclusion of the national tournament. 
 
Aven is the daughter of Christine and Jason Aven, closing her career with 44 total home runs, 353 total bases, and 169 runs batted in; each of which put her inside the top-ten of the Linfield career record books. 

An exercise science major, Meara Sain competed in all 51 games as the Wildcats' center fielder. She batted .492 with 75 RBIs and a Linfield single-season record 33 doubles. She completes her junior campaign with 55 career doubles, just 11 shy of the Linfield career record. Her .457 career batting average also currently ranks second all-time, trailing only Staci Doucette (.480). She is also top-five in career slugging percentage (.709) and on-base percentage (.503). 
 
The daughter of Erin and Dustin Sain, Meara earned Linfield's Dean's List honors in each of her first two seasons as a Wildcat, continuing to boast a perfect 4.0 grade point average. 


 
Linfield rode a 12-game winning streak into the DIII National Championship Finals, cruising to titles at the Northwest Conference Tournament, NCAA DIII Regionals, and NCAA DIII Super Regionals. After dropping game one in Virginia to eventual national champion Redlands, the Wildcats knocked off No. 1-ranked Virginia Wesleyan 3-2 before falling to Simpson (Iowa) 7-6 in eight innings.
 
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