Four UB Softball Players Earn NFCA Scholar Award

Zilka, Carter, Cummings and Mongiovi receive academic award for 2008-2009 season

BUFFALO, NY – Four members of the University at Buffalo softball team were recognized by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) for earning a 3.5 GPA or better for the fall and spring semester. The student-athlete must maintain a 3.5 GPA for the entire academic year. Erin Zilka, Dana Carter, Jen Mongiovi and Kelly Cummings all earned the Girls Got Game/NFCA All-American Scholar award following the 2008-2009 school year.

Zilka graduated last spring after a very successful playing career at UB. She started all 48 games for the Bulls last season and led the team in runs (22) while adding 19 RBIs and three home runs. Zilka had a 3.9 GPA in her final semester at UB.

Kelly Cummings

Carter finished her eligibility last spring, but is still enrolled in UB’s graduate school, where she earned a 4.0 GPA in her first semester. The 6-0 first baseman played and started in all but one game for the Bulls and hit two home runs in 2009. Carter is currently working towards her Master’s Degree in School Counseling. She already received her Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Human Services where she finished with a cumulative GPA of 3.757.

Cummings earned a 3.61 GPA in the fall of 2008 and a 3.5 last spring. She played in 15 games for the Bulls, starting in eight.

Mongiovi finished her freshman year with a 3.68 GPA and a spring semester GPA of 3.82. She saw action in 26 games in her first year, starting three.

The Bulls graduated three seniors last May, including Carter and Zilka, but have added five newcomers to their roster for 2009-10. The Bulls finished the 2009 season with a record of 25-27 (7-15 MAC), which tied the most wins in a single season in UB’s Division I softball era.