Five members of the Case Western Reserve University softball team were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, the organization announced on Tuesday.
Seniors Elizabeth Berry and Devanghi Misra and juniors Nylah Durham, Karen Potts, and Alaina Steffes were each honored for their achievements on the diamond and in the classroom. Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically with a cumulative grade point average greater than 3.50 and must have started at least 66 percent of a team's games or appeared in at least 90 percent of the contests. Pitchers required a minimum of 17 appearances or 35 innings pitched. Schools are limited to five selections per team. Potts will advance to the Academic All-America ballot, with three teams of Division III Academic All-Americans released on Tuesday, June 16.
Berry, who was named to the All-University Athletic Association Second Team for the second time in her career this season, finished the season second on the team with a batting average of .321, starting every game at third base for the Spartans. In 44 games this year, she had 42 hits in 131 at-bats, slugging seven doubles, one triple, and two home runs. Berry tied for the team lead with 38 RBI and finished third on the team with a .391 on-base percentage. Across four seasons as a Spartan, Berry appeared in 176 games (the second most by any player in program history), making 175 starts. She collected 166 hits and 107 RBI, hitting .315 with 29 doubles and three home runs. Berry graduated with a degree in materials science and engineering, earning a 3.529 cumulative GPA in four years. This is her first career Academic All-District honor.
Misra ended the season with an 8-4 record in the circle, saving two games during the 2026 season. She allowed a 3.89 earned run average across 32 appearances (20 starts), recording 72 strikeouts in 93 and two-third innings. Misra tossed her first complete game on April 26 against Brandeis in an 11-1 win and had nine scoreless outings this year. In four years, she went 10-5 in the circle across 124 innings, allowing a 3.61 ERA while striking out 83. Misra graduated from CWRU with degrees in political science and finance and a 3.603 cumulative GPA. This is her first career Academic All-District honor.
Durham started 43 games this season in centerfield for the Spartans, hitting .267 in 90 at-bats with a .359 on-base percentage. She scored 21 times, drove in seven runs, and had a team-high 10 sacrifice hits. On the basepaths, Durham stole 24 bases in 26 attempts, the second-most on the squad. In three seasons with Case Western Reserve, Durham is hitting .236 with a .317 on-base percentage and 55 stolen bases. A business management major on the pre-law track, Durham has a 3.763 cumulative GPA. This is her first career Academic All-District selection.
Potts was named the UAA Position Player of the Year and earned her second career All-UAA First Team selection. She led the team in batting average (.426), on-base percentage (.509), slugging percentage (.823), runs scored (58), hits (60), runs batted in (38), doubles (16), home runs (12), walks (26), and stolen bases (33). Potts is the first Spartan in five years to record an on-base percentage above .500 (minimum 50 at-bats) and her 58 runs scored are the second-most in a season in program history. In three seasons with the squad, she has a .402 batting average, .488 on-base percentage, and .672 slugging percentage, hitting 22 home runs while stealing 66 bases, scoring 155 runs, and driving in 108. Potts, who was named to the Academic All-District Team last year, has a 3.940 cumulative GPA as a psychology major.
Steffes appeared in 35 games for the Spartans in 2026, making 28 starts, and finished third on the team with a .881 on-base plus slugging percentage. She hit .278 in 72 at-bats, slugging four home runs and two doubles while walking 14 times. Steffes ended the season with 15 RBI and 11 runs scored. Across three seasons, she has appeared in 107 games, hitting .277 with a .380 on-base percentage and .484 slugging percentage, hitting seven home runs and 15 doubles. A chemical engineering major with a cumulative 3.651 GPA, this is her first career Academic All-District selection.
The 2026 Academic All-District Softball Teams, selected by CSC, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.
The Division III CSC Academic All-America program is partially financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2025-26 Division III Academic All-America programs.
The CWRU softball team finished the 2026 season with a record of 30-14, advancing to the Super Regional Round of the NCAA Championship for the third time in the last five seasons.
