Softball's Chapple Named Academic All-American

May 28, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas third baseman Val Chapple has been named an Academic All-American Second Team selection by ESPN The Magazine it was announced Wednesday. Chapple becomes just the seventh Jayhawk to be named a softball Academic All-American and first since Stephani Williams earned the honor in 1994.

The Overland Park, Kan., native led the Jayhawks in home runs, runs and RBI in 2008 and finished in KU’s top 10 single-season record list for each category. One of just two players to start all 56 contests, Chapple received National Player of the Week honors on March 10 for tying a school-record with three home runs in one game.

Chapple has maintained a 4.0 cumulative grade point average as a secondary education/physics major and was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team for the second year in a row, along with recognition on the Academic All-District First Team.

Kansas wrapped up its season with the program’s most wins since 1997 after going 37-19 overall.