May 11, 2009

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis senior first baseman Katie Johns (The Dalles, Ore. / Washington [Mo.] University) was rewarded for her hard work in the classroom when the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) named her to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII squad. Johns, who is now eligible for Academic All-America plaudits, is the fourth Billiken softball player to earn All-District honors and the first since 2003.

Last week, Johns was named to the Atlantic 10 Conference Second Team and the All-Academic squad after leading the 2009 Billikens with 27 walks and a program-best .482 on-base percentage in addition to being hit by a school-record 20 pitches. She led the A-10 in on-base percentage and walks this season, and her 27 free passes are the second-most in a season at SLU and just one shy of tying the standard. The senior holds the Saint Louis career records for being hit by a pitch (27) and on-base percentage (.410). Through games of May 3, Johns was hit by 0.37 pitches per game, a figure that ranks ninth in the nation.

In 2009 A-10 games, Johns posted a .615 slugging percentage and a .536 on-base percentage and was selected Player of the Week on Feb. 23. Additionally, she ranks ninth on the program's career putouts list with 485. Johns is a two-time member of the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll as well as a member of SLU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

The Billikens, who placed fourth at the 2009 A-10 Championship last week, finished the 2009 campaign with a 22-33 overall record and a 12-6 mark in league action.