Oklahoma State University Athletics
Four Cowgirls Named Academic All-Big 12
May 09, 2013 | Cowgirl Softball
May 9, 2013
STILLWATER - Four members of the Oklahoma State softball team were named to the 2013 Academic All- Big 12 team, the league office announced today. Senior outfielder/designated player Samantha Chrisman, senior pitcher Kat Espinosa, junior pitcher Simone Freeman and sophomore shortstop Gessenia DeLaCruz were all named to the first team.
This is the second time Espinosa has been named to the first team, the last time being in 2011. The secondary education major has started 115 career games, the second most in school history, and is tied for the school record in appearances at 161. Espinosa also became the third player in school history to throw 800 innings, and currently stands at 804-2/3 innings.
A two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection, this is Freeman's first time to be named to the first team. In 2011, she was an honorable mention selection. The Sydney, Australia, native ranks 11th in career strikeouts with 397 and ranks fifth with her 7.63 Ks per seven innings.
This is the first time Chrisman and DeLaCruz have been named Academic All-Big 12. Chrisman has split time this season between right field and the designated player spot, and is hitting .286 with seven home runs. DeLaCruz has started every game at shortstop for the Cowgirls and has a .206 batting average.
Oklahoma State has had at least three players named Academic all-conference in each of the last five years and 22 of the last 26 seasons, dating back to the Big Eight Conference. Since the Big 12 formed in 1996, 47 different Cowgirls have been named Academic All-Big 12 a combined 65 times.
