Kayla Dreese has been selected to the 2022 Academic All-America® softball team as a second-team selectee by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). CoSIDA members, such as OLLU’s 15-year member Patricia Constantin,  submit nominees for consideration. The organization boasts more than 3,000 members, and all are eligible to vote for all sports teams each year.

Dreese helped OLLU to the best season in team history as the Saints reached the NAIA National Tournament before being eliminated in the Gulf Shores Brackett. It was the Saints’ second time getting to nationals, but the first time they had won games at the tournament. Two wins marked the first they have won games. After losing the opening match to No. 16-ranked College of Coastal Georgia 3-5, the No. 17-ranked Saints defeated Valley City State University 4-1 and Coastal Georgia 2-1. The Saints fell to No. 1-ranked University of Mobile in extra innings 3-5 to end their year with a 46-13 record. OLLU set program records in both overall and conference (23) wins. They lost just three games at home while winning 28.

Dreese earned All-Conference First-Team, All-Tournament, NAIA Scholar-Athlete and Red River Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete honors this year. She was named OLLU’s BIG BLUE TOP SAINT Female Athlete of the Year. Her career records include: fourth in sacrifice hits with 19; fourth in hits by pitcher with 11; and second in stolen bases with 43; Season records include: second in games played/started with 55/55; second in total runs with 47; fifth in hits with 64; fifth in hits by pitcher with 5; fifth in on-base % with .469; and second in steals/attempts with 31/26.

Earning a 3.66 GPA, Dreese received her bachelor’s degree in Marketing this past May. She plans to return to play for a fifth year with the Saints after regaining one year of eligibility from her season-ending injury in 2021.

The NAIA Academic All-America® program is financially supported by the NAIA national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2021-2022 NAIA Academic All-America® program. For more information regarding the Academic All-America® program, visit https://academicallamerica.com/.