Valdosta State’s softball team placed seven former and current Blazers on the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association’s list of All-America Scholar Athletes.

Pitchers Margaret Carter, Julia Fink and Brianna Hancock made the list, along with infielders April Hutchens and Ashley Steinhilber. Representing the outfield on the list were Morgan Johnson and Ariel Shaw.

The award is given to any player submitted by a member coach who achieved a 3.50 grade point average or higher during the 2010-11 academic year.

The team as a whole finished the 2010-11 academic year with a grade point average of 3.255, good enough for 37th among all NCAA Division II softball teams.

Valdosta State’s team ranking of 37th is the highest in the Gulf South Conference. The nearest GSC softball team to VSU is West Alabama at 42nd with a 3.250, followed by Alabama-Huntsville at 70th with a team GPA of 3.047. No other GSC school made the top 77 in NCAA Division II.

Other schools in the South region that were named to the list include Lynn (second, 3.526), Rollins (ninth, 3.426), Florida Southern (13th, 3.395), Barry (38th, 3.253), Tusculum (39th, 3.250) and Florida Tech (56th, 3.160).