EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell softball senior Noel Balderston was recognized as CoSIDA Academic All-District selections this week.
 
Balderston was honored for the first time, as part of District 4, representing NAIA schools from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Canada.
 
Balderston finished the 2021 softball season ranked third on the team in hitting with a .365 average. She led the Beacons with 115 at bats, 42 hits and nine doubles. She helped guide the Beacons to a seventh-place finish in the Cascade Collegiate Conference as the Beacon missed out on their first post-season appearance by just one game.
 
Balderston, who was also named Bushnell's female Champion of Character for 2021-2022, graduated with a 3.92 GPA as an Elementary Education major. During her final season she was already working full-time as a teacher, hired before completing her degree to handle online teaching at Prairie Mountain School. She has also been hired as the physical education teacher at Eugene Christian School beginning this fall.
 
Eleven athletes earned All-District 4 honors including six from the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Balderston had the highest undergraduate GPA on the squad. They will join the rest of the 54 selections from across the country advancing to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration.