BOONE, N.C. – App State Softball's
Grace Barrett,
Emilie Ching,
KB Bradshaw,
Julia Girk and
Sophie Moshos took home Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Communicators (CSC) this week for their work in the classroom this academic year. It marks the second consecutive year that the Mountaineers have seen five players named Academic All-District.
The 2026 Academic All-District teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances both on the field and in the classroom. To qualify, a student-athlete must be a key contributor who earns at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale) and be at least a sophomore both academically and athletically.
Barrett, who has been named All-Sun Belt and All-Region over the last month, compiled a 3.76 GPA in the classroom this year while also hitting for a .364 batting average to finish second on the team. She posted career highs in home runs (six), RBIs (46), doubles (12) and slugging percentage, while also ranking among the Sun Belt's top 20 in runs (fourth), RBIs (tied for fifth), batting average (11th), walks (12th), doubles (13th) and hits (19th).
Along with finishing second on the team in home runs with 12, Ching posted a near-perfect GPA of 3.96 in her sophomore season. The Windermere, Fla., native finished fourth on the team in both RBIs (35) and walks (23). Her 12 home runs ranked tied for 10th in the Sun Belt and made her one of 20 players in the league with double-digit home runs. She also compiled a .979 fielding percentage at first base, which ranked in the top 30 in the Sun Belt.
With a 3.70 GPA, Bradshaw made an immediate impact both on the field and in the classroom in her first season in the Black and Gold. Bradshaw hit seven home runs and drove in 25 runs while also hitting .306 for the season. The Apex, N.C., native was one of App State's best hitters in conference play, as she tallied 21 hits and hit three home runs, both of which ranked among the top five on the team. Bradshaw also committed just one error in 2026 on 27 chances, primarily playing right field for the Mountaineers.
Girk was one of App State's best hitters in 2025 and also carried a 4.0 GPA in the classroom for the year. The Bradenton, Fla., native posted a .338 batting average, the third-highest on the team, and recorded a .438 on-base percentage, which also ranked third on the team in 2026. Girk was also one of the Mountaineers' best base-stealers this season, recording six to finish fourth on the team in that category.
Serving as the ace of the Mountaineer rotation, Moshos posted a team-low 3.31 ERA and held a 3.68 GPA in the classroom. The lefty struck out a team-high 108 batters across a team-best 158.2 innings pitched and made a team-high 25 starts. Her 108 strikeouts ranked fifth in the Sun Belt and made her one of eight pitchers in the league with at least 100 punchouts. Additionally, Moshos held a 2.35 strikeout/walk ratio, which ranked ninth in the Sun Belt, while also posting three saves, which are the most by a Mountaineer since 2015.
