Bachkora named Academic All-American

FAYETTEVILLE – University of Arkansas center fielder Jessica Bachkora has been named to the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team, as announced Wednesday morning by CoSIDA. This is the first career Academic All-America honor for the Razorback senior.

As a kinesiology and biomechanics major, Bachkora carries a 3.94 cumulative GPA. This is the latest award to come on the heels of the Overland Park, Kan., native being selected to the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 6 First Team. It was her third selection and second-straight year with first-team honors. She was previously a member of the 2008 District 6 ESPN The Magazine Academic second team. Bachkora is one of three Southeastern Conference student-athletes on the CoSIDA list.

On the field this season, Bachkora set a career-high in nearly every offensive category: batting average, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage, walks and on-base percentage. Her marks for runs and total bases represent new Arkansas records. Her home run on May 8 against Auburn, gave her 15 home runs for the season, setting a new single-season record for home runs in a season, breaking the previous record of 14 held by Razorback senior Sandra Smith.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.