GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— Colorado Mesa University softball student-athletes Ellie Smith and Ally Distler were both named to the NCAA Division II Academic All-America® teams as selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America), it was announced by the organization on Tuesday.
 
Smith, a nursing major from Riverside, California, was a first team selection at the designated player position after earning a second team spot in 2021, while Distler, a psychology major from Littleton, Colorado was a second team pick at the catcher position.
 
The Mavericks were the only NCAA Division II institution to have both a first and second team pick this year and have now had at least one selection in each of the last five years, a claim no other institution can claim.
 
Smith joins Brooke Hodgson (2018) as the only Maverick softball student-athletes to receive first team honors and is just the third Maverick softball player to have ever earned the prestigious overall accolade twice joining McKenzie Surface (2018-19) and Hailey Hinson (2019-20).
 
These are the ninth and tenth overall awards from the program, which has won each of the last six Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles.
 
Smith holds a 3.42 GPA and was named to the First Team All-RMAC and RMAC All-Academic First Team squad for the second straight year.  She was also recognized with second team all-region honors last month. 
 
In 2022, Smith hit .351 and slugged at a .709 clip after hitting ten doubles and 12 home runs while driving in 45 runs to share the team-lead with Distler.  Also a regular pitcher for the Mavs, Smith was ranked second in the RMAC behind teammate Paige Adair, the RMAC and D2CCA South Central Region Pitcher of the Year, with her 1.59 ERA and had an .211 opposing batting average.  Smith also had a 15-2 record with four individual shutouts and a pair of saves.  She gave up just 93 hits in 118 2/3 innings and struck out 92 batters while conceding just two home runs.
 
Distler, who has a perfect 4.00 GPA, was earlier named as the RMAC's Academic Player of the Year.  The sophomore catcher from Littleton, Colorado was also named to the First Team All-RMAC squad and picked up a pair of all-region honors last month.  She led the RMAC with 18 home runs and hit .316, while standing in a tie with Smith for the team lead with 45 RBIs.  Defensively, Distler conceded just six stolen bases throughout the season while gunning down 62.5 percent (10-16) of would-be base stealers.
   
2014      Jessica Severinsen (2nd Team)
2018      Brooke Hodgson (1st Team)
2018      McKenzie Surface (3rd Team)
2019      Hailey Hinson (2nd Team)
2019      McKenzie Surface (3rd Team)
2020      Hailey Hinson (2nd Team)
2021      Ellie Smith (2nd Team)
2021      Sarah Staudle (2nd Team)
2022      Ellie Smith (1^st Team)
2022      Ally Distler (2^nd Team)