Caryn Bailey Wins CAA Softball Scholar-Athlete Award

Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra junior outfielder Caryn Bailey won the Colonial Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Award for softball, it was announced today as the league released its spring sports winners.

Eleven student-athletes from six different schools who excelled both athletically and academically were honored by the CAA. Nominees for the award were required to be a starter or important reserve and must have maintained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25. The winners were selected by a vote of the media relations directors at each CAA institution. All 11 recipients earned All-CAA honors in their respective sports this season and they each have a cumulative grade point average over 3.35.

A junior majoring in exercise science, Bailey is a two-time recipient of the CAA Commissioner's Academic Award. The center fielder was a first-team NFCA All-Region selection in 2015 and was also selected to the All-CAA first team. Bailey batted a team-best .386, topped the CAA with 16 home runs and ranked third in the conference with 52 RBIs. She played a key role in the Pride capturing the CAA Championship after going 6-for-9 with a tournament-record four homers, six runs scored and eight RBI to earn a spot on the CAA All-Tournament team. Bailey was named USA Softball's National Collegiate Player of the Week on May 12. Her 32 career home runs in three seasons are just eight shy of the Pride's all-time mark.

Bailey's selection marks the fifth time in the last six years a Hofstra student-athlete was named the CAA Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Olivia Galati won three straight from 2011-13 and Kris Root earned the award in 2010.

Joining Bailey on the list was a trip of College of Charles student-athletes in junior Taylor Clarke (baseball), senior Zach Munroe (men's golf) and sophomore Laura Fuenfstueck (women's golf). Fairfield senior Tristan Sperry (men's lacrosse), Northeastern senior Chloe Laverack (rowing) and UNCW senior Alyssa Ritchie (women's tennis) were on the list as well. William & Mary saw four members picked, including senior Ellen Shaffrey (women's lacrosse), senior Will Juggins (men's tennis), junior Brian Waterfield (men's track and field) and junior Emily Stites (women's track and field).