DANVILLE, Va. – For the second straight school year, five student-athletes were named with Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Communicators on Tuesday afternoon. Seniors Abby Owen and Hannah Zabik, and juniors Kadence Woodlief, Carson Bradsher, and Mackenzie Newcomb made the list, as they met the required academic and athletic benchmarks.
Owen, a first baseman from Chatham, Virginia, started 40 games for the Cougars this season. In 2026, the aviation business major tallied 13 hits, with a double and triple each, and six runs batted in. Among all players on the team with at least 20 putouts, Owen sported the best fielding percentage at a 1.000 clip, with 207 putouts, nine assists, and 16 double plays converted.
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Zabik, a pitcher/outfielder from Sykesville, Maryland, made 25 starts in the circle with a team-best 2.84 ERA this season. The psychology major tied for the most shutouts in the ODAC with eight and was fourth in that same regard in complete games with 11. Zabik also batted .304 with 34 hits, with three doubles and 12 runs batted in. She was named to the All-ODAC Second Team at utility.
Woodlief, an infielder from Oxford, North Carolina, started all 45 games and batted .386 with 56 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 22 runs scored. The sociology and criminal justice major drove in 34 runs and also stole six bases. Woodlief was awarded the Senior Female Athlete of the Year and received the Barbara Kushubar Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award at Averett's Night of Champions.
Bradsher, an infielder from Cedar Grove, North Carolina, started 41 games and batted .442, which led the team and was fifth in the ODAC. The business major's 66 hits led the team and conference, and she also had three doubles and one triple. Bradsher recorded 43 runs scored and 17 stolen bases. Postseason, Bradsher was named to the All-ODAC First Team at shortstop, as well as the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) All-Region Second Team at shortstop. She was also selected as Junior Female Athlete of the Year at Averett's Night of Champions.
Newcomb, an infielder from Victoria, Virginia, started all 45 games at third base for Averett this season and batted .384 with a league-leading 20 doubles and a career-high four round-trippers. The nursing major posted a team-best 1.054 OPS, drove in 50 runners, scored 33 runs and was 19-for-20 in stolen base attempts. For her efforts, Newcomb was named to the All-ODAC Second Team at third base and the NFCA All-Region First Team at the same position.
Bradsher was also selected as a CSC Academic All-America finalist and advances to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First, second and third team Academic All-America honorees will be announced on June 16.
The head coach has now amassed 10 CSC All-District selections in two years at the helm and brings the program's overall tally to 22. Zabik becomes the first Cougar to be named to the All-District team on three separate occasions, while Owen, Bradsher and Newcomb garnered honors for the second straight year.
