Three Lady'Backs earn academic honors

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas softball players Katy Henry, Miranda Dixon and Jessica Bachkora earned selection to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District team it was announced Thursday. Henry and Dixon mark the first time two Lady Razorback softball players earned first-team honors. Bachkora was selected to the second team. “I’m proud of Katy, Miranda and Jessica for earning this award,” said head coach Jamie Pinkerton. “They are true student-athletes and the honors show that not only are they successful on the field, but also in the classroom.” Henry, a senior from Poteau, Okla., graduates with a 3.71 grade point average in English. The ace in the circle since her sophomore year, Henry is in the top three in 17 different Arkansas pitching records. The right hander has the 2nd and 3rd most strikeouts in a season, is the career leader with 9 saves and is third with 743 career strikeouts. Henry has 53 wins and 15 shutouts in her four years as a Lady’Back. Henry was an SEC Academic Honor Roll selection, NFCA Scholar-Athlete and on the Arkansas Athletic Department academic honor roll for the past three years. Dixon, an Edmond, Okla., native maintains a 3.53 GPA in health science. The sophomore designated player and pitcher is the team leader in doubles, RBI, slugging percentage and on-base percentage and second with a .310 batting average. She broke season records in RBI, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. Dixon was the first Lady’Back to be named SEC Pitcher and Player of the Week in the same season. In the classroom Dixon was on the Arkansas Athletic Director’s Academic List and an SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll selection. Backora is from Overland Park, Kan., and has a 4.00 GPA in kinesiology. She was the lead-off batter and starting centerfielder all season with a team-high 14 stolen bases. Bachkora led the Lady’Backs batting .317 against ranked opponents and had the best batting average in Southeastern Conference play. She had 14 multiple-hit games. Bachkora was an Arkansas Athletic Department Academic Champion with a 4.0 GPA as a freshman and was named to the SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll. The last Lady’Back softball player to be named to the all-district team was Kim Eiben in 2003. For more information about Arkansas softball, please log on to LADYBACKS.COM