DePaul University Athletics
Mary Connolly Named Capital One Academic All-American
5/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
CoSIDA Academic All-America Release 
AUSTIN, Texas -- DePaul softball's Mary Connolly was honored for her outstanding performance in the classroom and on the field as the senior was tabbed to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-America Third Team on Friday.
Connolly has led by example for her teammates as the Winfield, Ill. native touts a 3.35 GPA with a major in Public Relations and Advertising to go along with a Sociology minor. Connolly's academic leadership paved the way to the softball team receiving a perfect Academic Progress Rate score of 1000 this past season.
One of the most feared hitters to step foot in Lincoln Park, Connolly leaves a legacy with her name printed all over the career record books. She finished second in program history with 44 home runs, third in slugging percentage (.633), fourth in career RBI (164) and fifth in total bases (385) and walks drawn (97).
The senior also completed an outstanding final campaign for the Blue Demons as Connolly set the single-season record with an .870 slugging percentage, tied for first with 16 homers and finished second with an on-base percentage of .548. Connolly finished the season ranked in the top-25 in the NCAA with her mark in all three of those categories.
Connolly was the driving force behind 2015 team's record-breaking season. DePaul set records for home runs in a season with 58 blasts, shattering the mark previously held by the 2007 squad with 49. The 2015 club topped the record book for slugging percentage in a season with a .498 clip which bested the 1997 team's .490 slugging percentage.
For her efforts this past campaign, Connolly was recognized as a member of the NFCA Great Lakes All-Region First team and as an All-BIG EAST performer as a second team selection.
Connolly's recognition marks the second-straight year and third since 2009 that a Blue Demon has been honored as an Academic All-American. Kirsten Verdun achieved the honor last season as a third-team selection. Connolly becomes the 12th player in program history to receive the award.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings.
About Capital One
Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., had $206.9 billion in deposits and $289.9 billion in total assets as of September 30, 2013. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, N.A. has more than 900 branch locations primarily in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.
