AUSTIN, Texas — Tusculum University outfielder Danielle Jason has been named to the 2025 NCAA Division II Softball Academic All-America® first team as selected by the College Sports Communicators.
Jason becomes the third Academic All-America® in program history joining three-time selection Anna Alloway (2020, 2021, 2022) and 2019 honoree Morgan Mahaffey. Jason becomes the first TU softball student-athlete to garner both All-America and Academic All-America® laurels in their career and the first to achieve the feat in the same season.
To be eligible, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher and must be at least a sophomore. For position players, nominees must have competed in at least 90 percent of their team’s games played or have started in at least 66 percent of the total number of team games played. For pitchers, nominees must pitch 25-plus innings or appear in 17 contests as a pitcher.
Jason, a graduate student from Olyphant, Pennsylvania, recorded a 3.95 GPA as an undergraduate and finished with a 4.00 GPA during her graduate studies in sport management finishing with high honors. She is a member of the President’s List, SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the Charles Oliver Gray Honors List. Last year, she was the recipient of the Division II Athletic Directors Association (D2ADA) Academic Achievement Award.
Jason was named to the NFCA All-America first team this past spring as she established seven Tusculum single-game, season and career records. She led the league in hits (85 – T8th in NCAA II), runs scored (62 – 10th in NCAA II) and stolen bases (48 – 4th in NCAA II), all TU records. Her .452 batting average was fourth in the conference and 18th nationally, while her average was also tied for the sixth-best in Tusculum single-season history. She finished fourth in the conference with her .510 on-base percentage (37th in NCAA II – 5th in TU history) while her 0.21 sacrifice bunt average is second in the SAC and 22nd in the country.
Jason finished her career as Tusculum’s all-time leader in batting average (.437), on-base percentage (.499) and stolen bases (72). During her 106 games with the Pioneers, she totaled 142 hits including 12 doubles, four triples and two home runs. She also tallied 37 career walks and scored 102 runs.
Jason becomes the 11th Tusculum student-athlete to garner All-America and Academic All-America honors in their respective sport. She joins the illustrious group which includes: Lukas Winkelmann (men’s tennis), Annie McCullough (women’s tennis), Caitlin McCullough (women’s tennis), Daulton Martin (baseball), Brad Hawkins (men’s golf), Chase Carroll (men’s golf), Jami Tham (women’s basketball), Caitlyn Dean (women’s volleyball), Jarrell NeSmith (Football) and Nicole McMillen (track & field). Ten of these achieved the feat in the same academic year including Jason.
Tusculum finished the season with a 37-18 record and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. TU’s 37 wins are the most as a NCAA II member and ranks seventh overall in TU history.
The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-2025 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs.
2025 CSC Academic All-America Softball Team
First Team
C – Ally Distler, Colorado Mesa
DP – Emma Little, Bloomsburg
IF – Macauley Bailey, Carson-Newman
IF – Sam Schott, Texas-Tyler
IF – Savanna Brooks, Wingate
IF – Madison Primm, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Kayla Rodgers, Concordia-Irvine
OF – Danielle Jason, Tusculum
OF – Sophia Luetticke, Drury
P – Gisselle Garcia, Pace
P – Emilee Boyer, West Texas A&M
Second Team
C – Lani Warren, Lenoir-Rhyne
DP – Taylor Thompson, Central Missouri
IF – Maleah Andrews, Western Washington
IF – Aniston Gano, Valdosta State
IF – Brooke Holmes, St. Cloud State
IF – Kary Hales, Catawba
OF – Madisyn Leffle, Jessup
OF – Abigail Weirich, East Stroudsburg
OF – Katie Dillon, St. Edward’s
OF – Emily Konz, Francis Marion
P – Heidi Vortherms, West Texas A&M
P – Grace Glanzer, Augustana (S.D.)
Third Team
C – Delaney Ridgell, East Stroudsburg
DP – Sydney Watson, Converse
IF – Miia Campos, Texas-Tyler
IF – Heather Arnett, Pittsburg State
IF – Brianna Gallagher, Catawba
IF – Natalia Mallozzi, Gannon
OF – Tatiana Trotter, Angelo State
OF – Leah Oberkehr, Embry-Riddle
P – Joni Russell, Hillsdale
P – Kaylee Davis, Texas-Tyler
CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Ally Distler, Colorado Mesa University
