GREENWOOD, Ind.  – Following a stellar junior campaign that saw her lead the Valkyries in batting average, slugging percentage and home runs, junior outfielder Sydney Watson has earned CSC Academic All-America second team honors for the combination of her performance on the field and in the classroom. She was previously honored this season as the Converse softball program's second-ever all-conference selection.

Watson, an elementary education major from Plant City, Florida, becomes Converse's second-ever CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-American and the ninth Valkyrie to earn national scholar-athlete recognition.

To be eligible for Academic All-America honors, a student-athlete must participate in 90% of a team's total contests or start in two-thirds of the team's games. Student-athletes must have at least a sophomore standing academically and have been selected to move on from the Academic All-District portion of the competition.

Watson not only led the team in many major hitting categories this season, but set program records while doing so. In the Valkyries' final game of the season, Watson joined Serrah Ballard ('23) as the only Valkyries to ever hit two home runs in the same game. Watson also holds the Converse single-season home run record, blasting 10 long-balls this season. Her .684 slugging percentage shatters the previous team record of .495. Finishing the season with 50 RBIs, Watson more than doubled-up on the previous single-season record of 18 RBIs.

Watson finished in the top 10 in Conference Carolinas in batting average (sixth), RBIs (tied seventh), and hits (eighth) and was just outside the top 10 for home runs (tied 13th).

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