GREENWOOD, Ind. — Penn State Altoona softball’s infielder Gianna Hoppel, of Lewistown, was recognized for her work in the classroom on May 28, when she earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators’ NCAA Division III Academic All-District team.

To be eligible for a spot on the Academic All-District team, student-athletes must meet certain academic and athletic requirements. Academically, student-athletes must be at least sophomores while holding cumulative grade-point averages of 3.5 or higher. Athletically, players must have competed in at least 90 percent of their team's total games or started two-thirds of the contests. Nominators could submit up to five qualified student-athletes per team.

Hoppel was a second-team All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference selection at first base this season. Among all hitters in the AMCC, she ranks 11th in sacrifice hits (3), 15th in home runs (1), 18th in RBI (21), 22nd in hits (35), 23rd in stolen bases (5), 30th in total bases (41), 38th in batting average (.310), 47th in slugging percentage (.363) and doubles (3), 49th in runs scored (14), and 50th in on-base percentage (.336). Hoppel also led the conference in put outs (228) and double plays turned (13) while being 10th in fielding percentage (.992). She is majoring in elementary and early childhood education at Penn State Altoona.