DePaul University Athletics
Morocco Selected Capital One Academic All-District
5/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
May 6, 2011
CHICAGO - As if riding high on a 16-game winning streak wasn't enough, Alex Morocco received even more good news on Friday.
Morocco, DePaul's leading hitter, was selected to the Capital One Academic All-District First Team. She will now have her named placed on the Capital One Academic All-America ballot.
"We are students before we are athletes," Morocco said. "I have learned from being around here to get good grades, promote community service and try to live my life according to the ideals of the university.
"Coach (Eugene) Lenti always tells us that school work comes first before everything else and that softball comes second. You have to put the same amount of work into softball and academics, and sometimes that can get tough."
This has been quite a season for Morocco, who is batting .405 and leads the Blue Demons in hits with 64 and runs with 33. She has only made two errors in 47 games and has taken away a number of apparent hits to center field.
Morocco has been a key contributor to a defense that is No. 4 in the nation.
Earlier in the year, Morocco received the 2010-11 American Eagle Outfitters BIG EAST Institutional Scholar Athlete Award. She carries a 3.65 grade-point average and will graduate in June with a degree in psychology.
The senior leadoff hitter was also among the nation's 30 finalists for the prestigious Lowe's Senior CLASS Award that recognizes excellence on the field and in the class room along with community service and leadership.
"She is a very skilled athlete who really gets it done on the field and in the class room," Lenti said. "She has gotten better every year because of her work ethic. Nobody outworks or outhustles her.
"I'd like to have a dozen more just like her."
First-place DePaul (36-11, 17-1 in the BIG EAST) has a critical three-game series with third-place USF (32-18, 12-3) this weekend at Cacciatore Stadium beginning with a noon doubleheader on Saturday that may well decide the BIG EAST regular-season title.
