Emma Johnson Adds Capital One Academic All-America® Selection to List of Accolades
Full CoSIDA Release
AUSTIN, Texas - Kent State senior pitcher Emma Johnson has been named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Softball Second Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Johnson, who earned Capital One Academic All-District® honors for the second time earlier in the month, entered her final semester with 3.72 cumulative grade point average and earned her degree in accounting and finance a few weeks ago.
The Academic All-America® selection caps a sensational senior season in which Johnson received several awards at the national, regional and conference levels. Most notably, she was named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Mideast Region Second Team and Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Year for the second time in addition to her fourth consecutive All-MAC selection. A five-time MAC East Pitcher of the Week recipient, Johnson was named NFCA Division I National Pitcher of the Week on April 28 and MAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week on March 11.
Johnson finished the season with a 23-6 record, 2 saves, 0.95 earned run average, 11 shutouts and 319 strikeouts. She ranks in the top five nationally in ERA, shutouts, strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings and hits allowed per seven innings. Among Johnson's several dominant performances were no-hitters against Michigan State and Bowling Green and two one-hitters. She matched a Kent State record with 18 strikeouts in a two-hit shutout at No. 15 UCF and was one of only two pitchers to throw a shutout against No. 3 Michigan. At one point late in the season, Johnson did not allow a run for 40 consecutive innings.
Only the second four-time all-conference selection in Kent State history, Johnson finished her collegiate career with the fourth-most strikeouts (935) and seventh-most wins (73) in MAC history. She led the Golden Flashes to the MAC regular season title this past season and the East Division title in 2013.
The Groveport, Ohio native will continue her career in the National Pro Fastpitch League (NPF) after being selecting in the fifth round of the NPF Draft by the Pennsylvania Rebellion in April.
The Capital One Academic All-America® Teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. In order to be eligible for selection, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve and maintain at least a 3.30 grade point average.
Kent State boasts 60 Academic All-America® selections all-time with Johnson joining Kent State football player Jordan Italiano as honorees during the 2014-15 academic year. The softball program leads the way with 16 Academic All-Americans.
Courtesy of Kent State Athletic Communications
