CALIFORNIA, Pa. — California University sophomore pitcher/utility player Caleigh Rister was selected a Third-Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Tuesday afternoon.
The CSC Academic All-America program replaces the former CoSIDA Academic All-America program after CoSIDA recently rebranded the organization as College Sports Communicators. The program increased the minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) for nominees to 3.50 (previously 3.30) and instituted a limit on the maximum number of submissions by a school in each sport.
Rister, a graduate of Bucyrus High School, was one of only five sophomores in NCAA Division II chosen to the Academic All-America Teams this year. She became the program’s first Academic All-American since 2017, as the Cal softball program leads all sports in school history with 15 Academic All-Americans.
Rister ranked among the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) leaders in ERA and innings pitched while also serving as the team’s leadoff hitter. She ranked fourth in the league with a 2.12 ERA over a career-high 141.2 innings pitched in 28 appearances.
She finished with a 12-7 record in the circle and logged 13 complete games, including three shutouts. The 5-foot-4 sophomore registered a career-best 100 strikeouts and closed the spring with a 3.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Rister led the team with 37 runs scored and ranked second with a .418 on-base percentage. She finished the year with a .321 batting average (52-for-162), four doubles, four triples, two homers, 10 RBI and 12 stolen bases. Rister, who started over 20 games in center field, collected 16 multi-hit games and drew 24 walks.
A right-hand pitcher and left-hand batter, Rister earned All-PSAC West Second-Team laurels at pitcher this season after being chosen the 2022 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) National Freshman of the Year. Rister has received All-PSAC honors in back-to-back seasons, as she was tabbed to the All-PSAC West First Team at utility/pitcher and was voted both the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year and PSAC West Freshman of the Year in 2022.
Rister maintains a 4.00 cumulative GPA while majoring in PreK-4 education. She received Academic All-America status in her first season eligible for the honor. Rister earned NFCA Scholar-Athlete and PSAC Scholar-Athlete accolades following her freshman year and is expected to receive the laurels again in the coming months.