GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNC Greensboro (UNCG) standouts Makenna Matthijs, Kayleigh Willis, and Jasmine Palmer were named First-Team selections on the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 3 Softball Team Thursday afternoon.

District Three comprises all of the Division I softball programs in the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
 
They shined in the classroom while leading UNCG to the Southern Conference regular and postseason tournament championships and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. UNCG set a single-season program record with 90 home runs. The Spartans won a season-high eight consecutive games during two different points in the season.
 
Each player also finished among the top 100 in NCAA individual statistical categories.
 
Jasmine Palmer

• Second Academic All-District honor as she earned first team recognition in 2018.
• Had a 4.00 grade point average while earning her master's degree in communications studies.
• Finished with a .306 batting average, one of six UNCG players to hit .300 or better
• Named to the All-Southern Conference Second Team.
• Two-time SoCon Player of the Week (March 8 and May 10).
• Had 12 multi-hit games, which was second on the team.
• Had 44 hits, which was second on the team.
• Scored 33 runs, hit nine homers and finished with 28 RBIs. 
• Was 92nd in the NCAA in walks per game (.22).

 
Makenna Matthijs

• Second Academic All-District honor as she earned first team recognition in 2019.
• Had a 3.89 grade point average in earning her degree in human and family development.
• Named to the All-SoCon First Team.
• Named NFCA All-Mideast Region Second Team.
• Named to the All-Son Con Tournament Team.
• Named SoCon Player of the Week (April 18).
• Led the SoCon in hits (61), runs (44) and RBIs (43).
• Was also second in home runs (13) and third in batting average (.361) in the conference.
• Was one of six UNCG players to hit .300 or higher and one of four players with double-digit home runs.
• Had a team-best 14 multi-hit games, including a four-hit performance at Chattanooga.
• Was 53rd nationally in total bases (114), 71st in home runs, 73rd in hits, 79th in sacrifice flies (three), and 93rd in runs per game (.86).

 
Kayleigh Willis

• Had a 3.84 grade point average in earning her master's degree in sociology.
• Named to the All-SoCon First Team.
• Named SoCon Player of the Week (May 3).
• Hit .327 on the season.
• Had a .474 on-base percentage and a .738 slugging percentage.
• Was second on the team with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs.
• Had 35 hits, scored 22 runs and had eight doubles.
• Had 10 games with at least two RBIs and seven multi-hit games.
• Hit two home runs and drove in a career best seven RBIs in a win over Mercer on May 1.
• Hit two home runs against Western Carolina in the SoCon tournament championship.
• Ranked 58th nationally in home runs per game (.29), 62nd in RBIs per game (0.95), 65th in slugging percentage (.736), 97th in home runs, and 99th in hit by pitches per game (0.21).

 
The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Softball Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
 
The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in late July.