SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Sydney Nieveen of the University of Sioux Falls Softball Team has been named to the 2020 Academic All-District® VII Team, selected by CoSIDA, according to an announcement today (May 14, 2020).
The All-District selection by CoSIDA recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes baseball and softball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and the NAIA.
Nieveen, a senior from Hallam, Neb., was selected first-team Academic All-District® and will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. Academic All-America® honorees which will be announced from June 8-11. Nieveen has a 3.79 GPA in business administration and will graduate this May.
“When you are looking for the ideal student-athlete, Sydney Nieveen has to be highlighted and starred on your list,” said USF Head Softball Coach Shannon Pivovar. “She is a smart, dedicated, and driven young woman who put all three of those (and more) qualities into everything she did in the classroom and on the softball field. I am proud of the work she put in, and the example she set, for the standard of what a University of Sioux Falls STUDENT-athlete looks like. I cannot wait to see where her future takes her!”
During her career with USF, Nieveen, who had a .330 career batting average (sixth all-time at USF), was a three-time Academic All-NSIC honoree (3.2 GPA or better) and one of 11 USF student-athletes to receive the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award (3.75 GPA or higher) in 2020.
Nieveen was twice named to the NSIC Academic All-NSIC Team (3.6 GPA or better) and selected to the Easton/National Fatpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athlete Team in 2018 and 2019.At USF, Nieveen, a two-time All-NSIC performer, collected 173 hits in 524 at bats. Nieveen had 50 extra base hits, which included 32 doubles, a triple, and 16 home runs (7th all-time at USF). She finished with a .487 slugging percentage and 255 total bases (5th all-time at USF) in 176 games (6th all-time at USF) with 175 starts (6th all-time at USF).
Nieveen totaled 92 RBI (5th all-time at USF), 133 runs scored (1st time all-time at USF), 39 multi-hit games and 22 multi-RBI games.
A two-way standout, she finished with a 7-11 record and 2.90 ERA in 125.1 innings of work with 27 appearances in 15 starts on the mound. As a senior, she was 2-3 with 2.14 ERA in 42 innings of work. She had three complete games including a shutout. Nieveen also had a home run and 11 RBI during a senior campaign shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Division II and III CoSIDA Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2019-20 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs. The NAIA CoSIDA Academic All-America® program is partially financially supported through the NAIA national office.
(The University of Sioux Falls contributed this report/news release.)
