Collins Earns BIG EAST Conference Scholar-Athlete Award
June 22, 2012 | Softball
June 22, 2012
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The University of Louisville's Tori Collins has been named the recipient of the 2011-12 BIG EAST Conference Scholar-Athlete Sports Excellence Award for softball, an honor presented to an individual in each of the league's 24 sports which recognizes academic and athletic achievement as well as community service.
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or performances and volunteer service to the community. Student-athletes who have attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 are eligible. The winners are chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.
Collins is one of seven U of L student-athletes to earn the recognition, the most from any single institution in the league. Cardinals who also attained the honor for their respective sport are: Brendon Andrews, men's swimming and diving; Austin Berry, men's soccer; Chinwe Okoro, women's track and field; Katie Oliverio, women's lacrosse; Peyton Siva, men's basketball and Hayley Turner, field hockey.
Collins, a senior pitcher from Lafayette, Ind., posted a 25-2 record and a 1.30 ERA with 186 strikeouts in 179.1 innings. She was selected to the Ohio Valley Region first team in 2012 and earned All-BIG EAST Conference honors in 2010 and 2012. She finished her career ranked third on the school's all-time list for strikeouts (590), wins (66) and saves (10) and fourth in career shutouts (23). The elementary education major was also named Louisville's Co-Senior Female Athlete of the Year.
The 2012 Cardinals are coming off of a program-best season in which they produced a 55-5 overall record, won the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles and made their ninth-straight NCAA tournament appearance. Louisville finished the season at No .17 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association rankings and No. 18 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball coaches' poll, but spent five weeks in the top 10 of both polls, reaching as high as Nos. 9 and 7 respectively.
