ASHLAND – Lauren Quirke's name was etched on another shortlist of Southern Oregon University student-athletes Monday when she was selected to the NAIA Softball Academic All-America second team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

A total of 26 softball players – 13 on the first team, 13 on the second – were chosen nationally for the honor, which is designed to recognize the top student-athletes in the NAIA for a combination of their academic and athletic accomplishments.

Quirke is the 16th SOU student-athlete ever to land on a CoSIDA Academic All-America team. She joined former star shortstop Kelsey Randall, who competed from 2015-18, as the only Raider softball players to earn the distinction.

A product of San Mateo, Calif., Quirke maintains a 3.5 cumulative GPA as a communications major. She came to SOU via San Mateo C.C. in the fall of 2018 and, as a junior, was voted the NAIA World Series MVP. Her senior campaign was cut short this spring, but she'll be eligible to return for the 2021 season.

When the season was canceled in mid-March with the top-ranked Raiders sitting at 23-3, Quirke was sporting a .488 batting average, the nation's third-highest hit total (40), and 13 extra-base hits that translated to a .768 slugging percentage – the best among all Cascade Conference players with at least 60 at-bats.

Quirke, whose primary position is third base, also had a 3-2 pitching record accompanied by a 2.27 ERA. Over two seasons with the Raiders, she'd gone 10-3 combined in the circle.

Quirke's .456 batting average over 85 career games is the best for any player who has spent at least two seasons at SOU. As a second-team NAIA All-American in 2019, she batted .444 with 63 RBIs and broke the program's single-season record for extra-base hits with five home runs, 10 triples and 18 doubles.

In national tournament play, she hit safely in seven of eight games. And at the NAIA World Series, she went 7-for-15 with five RBIs, four runs scored and three extra-base hits.