The SEC and espnW Player of the Year Kasey Cooper was named the ELITE 90 award winner by the NCAA at a reception on Tuesday that included all eight teams participating in this years’ Women’s College World Series.
“I was really humbled,” Cooper said. “I was thinking a senior with more credit hours would get it. But I’m definitely honored and humbled to have it.”
The ELITE 90 award is given annually to an athlete that has achieved the highest cumulative GPA among her peers, while competing at a championship level. The ELITE 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s 90 championships. Cooper, who has a 4.0 GPA, is the first student-athlete from Auburn University to win the award.
“It’s a good feeling to be recognized,” Cooper said. “Playing a sport and being an engineering major, its very difficult. Everyone has to help – all of my teammates, my friends in my classes, my professors and coaches. When you have a whole university working with you, it’s really possible.”
Cooper was also recognized as the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the year and repeated as an CoSIDA Academic All-American this season. She was one of the three finalists for the National Player of the Year. Cooper enters the WCWS with 76 RBI, 19 home runs and has a .880 slugging percentage.
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