Three Cougars garner NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Three Cougars garnered All-America Scholar-Athlete honors for the 2016-17 academic year, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Tuesday.

Briielle Breland, Arianna Paulson and Brooke Vander Heide represented BYU softball after earning at least a 3.5 GPA.

Last season, Breland also received All-West Coast Conference Second Team and WCC Player of the Week honors as a junior. At Saint Mary’s, she went 2/2 with 2 runs, 2 RBI and one home run.

Paulson pitched her first career shutout against Detroit Mercy as a junior and came in as relief against Sacramento State, pulling out a win. She also picked up a save at Santa Clara, throwing three strikeouts in three innings pitched.

As a freshman, Vander Heide started 40 games in centerfield and finished second on the team in stolen bases with 10. She also had a diving catch against Mississippi State in the NCAA Regionals that reached No. 6 on the SportsCenter Top 10.