AUSTIN, TEXAS (June 19, 2024) – Two standouts on the diamond and in the classroom – Our Lady of the Lake University's (OLLU) Cassandra Valdez and Kayla Dreese – highlight the 2024 Academic All-America® softball teams selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced today. 

Cassandra Valdez, a first-team selectee, is a graduate student from Brownsville, Texas, and maintains a 3.71 GPA in Literature and Creative Writing. The 2024 NAIA Pitcher of the Year and Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Pitcher of the Year marked a 30-1 record, including 7-0 in the postseason through the NAIA World Series Championship. In the regular season, Valdez went undefeated at 14-0. She ended the 2024 season as the top-ranked pitcher in ERA at .53, second in wins and fourth in strikeouts with 286. Valdez also excelled on offense as the team's leader in runs with 62, in home runs with 15, in walks with 45, in RBIs with 45, in walks with 46, in on-base percentage with .513 and slugging percentage with .778. She is tied for the most stolen bases this year with 30. In addition, Valdez led the team in assists with 73. 

Kayla Dreese, a second-team selectee, is pursuing an MBA in Business Administration, and maintains a 3.83 GPA. She was selected to the RRAC All-Conference First Team, NFCA All-Region First Team and is a four-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete. Dreese's stats include: 55 games, 146 at-bats, 39 runs, three triples, four home runs, 19 walks and team-leading 62 hits, 14 doubles and 30 (tied) stolen bases. She also has a team-leading .425 batting average, plus .506 in on-base percentage and .644 slugging percentage. Dreese was a CSC Academic All-American in 2022. 

Others at OLLU who have received the prestigious Academic All-American award include:

• Gary Hamilton, Men's Soccer, 2011
• Santiago Padilla, Men's Tennis, 2012
• Rebekah Valenta, Women's Soccer, 2012
• Brittany Stone, Softball, 2015
• Erika Thompson, Women's Soccer, 2015
• Brooke Cousins, Women's Soccer, 2016
• Ione Rodriguez, Women's Cross-Country/Track and Field, 2018
• Jorge Cavazos, Men's Soccer, 2018
• Francesca Patrick, Women's Basketball, 2018
• Dawson Brinkley, Women's Soccer, 2020
• Kane Ybarra, Men's Golf, 2021
• Patrick Pye, Men's Soccer, 2021
• Kayla Dreese, Softball, 2022
• Isaac Martinez, Men's Cross-Country/Track and Field, 2022 

The NAIA Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NAIA national governance structure to assist the College Sports Communicators with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2023-24 NAIA Academic All-America® program. 

For more information regarding the Academic All-America® program, visit https://academicallamerica.com/.