NO. ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Junior Julianna Colbert (Burrillville, R.I.) of the Southern New Hampshire University softball team was selected as an NE10 Sport Excellence Award winner Friday.

The Sport Excellence Award, which has been handed out since the 2009-10 season and is one of the most prestigious honors the NE10 bestows, is given to one top individual from each of the league's 24 sports, chosen from among the group that was named to the NE10 Academic All-Conference Teams in the fall, winter and spring seasons. Colbert is the 37th Penmen to be recognized with the honor and just the third SNHU softball student-athlete to win the award, joining Mo Hannan (2015) and Maddy Barone (2020).

Colbert completed her season with a 20-8 record and a 2.05 ERA, while her 241 strikeouts tied the program's single-season record. Colbert was named East All-Region First Team by both the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and D2CCA, in addition to earning D2CCA East Region Pitcher of the Year, NE10 Pitcher of the Year, NE10 All-Conference First Team, CSC Academic All-District Team and NE10 Academic All-Conference honors. The education major with a 3.82 grade-point average, led the league in wins and strikeouts, while ranking second in ERA and opponent batting average (.209), and third in innings pitched (198.1).

To be eligible for Sport Excellence honors, a student-athlete must have been named to the All-Conference team in their respective sport, spent at least two consecutive full-time semesters at their institution and have maintained a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better (for both undergraduate and graduate work). 

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