ANDRIE NAMED 2016 ATKINSON CUP WINNER

Buccaneer shortstop maintained perfect 4.0 grade point average through two years at Blinn

As good as Katie Andrie was as Blinn College’s starting shortstop this year, she may have been even better in the classroom.

Andrie was named the winner of the 2016 Dr. James H. Atkinson Cup as the Blinn College student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average. A sophomore from China Spring, Andrie maintained a perfect 4.0 during her two years at Blinn.

“Katie was exactly the type of student athlete you want to recruit,” said Rick Church, Blinn softball coach. “She didn’t play too much her freshman year, but kept her chin up and worked hard to have a great sophomore season as the starting shortstop.”

Andrie led the team with a .431 batting average this season, and ranked third on the team with 43 runs batted in. She was named all-region and all-conference in 2016 and will continue playing softball at Sam Houston State University next year.

“I just had to remind myself what my ultimate goal was and keep working toward it,” Andrie said.

Blinn finished the season with a 37-18 overall record and placed second in the Region XIV South Zone with a 20-4 mark.

The Atkinson Cup, sponsored by the Buccaneer Alumni Lettermen Association, began in 2000 to honor the top sophomore student athlete with the highest GPA in a minimum of 48 transferable hours. The award is named for former Blinn athletic director and president, the late Dr. James H. Atkinson.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 34 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.