HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College proudly announced that five softball student-athletes—the maximum number eligible—have been named to the 2024-25 Academic All-District® Softball Team, as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC).

Senior Emily Lacki earned her second consecutive Academic All-District® honor and was joined by four first-time recipients: Kimberly Bentley, Samantha Heppel, Kailey Stolowski, and Alana Yadov.

The CSC Academic All-District® program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined excellence in the classroom and on the field. To be eligible, position players must have competed in at least 90% of their team's games or started in 66% of them. Pitchers must have made at least 17 appearances or pitched a minimum of 25 innings. All nominees must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Emily Lacki (Blasdell, N.Y.), a Fall 2023 transfer, made an immediate impact on the Hawks' program. She completed her Hilbert career with a 3.92 GPA and graduated with a degree in Human Services. The Blasdell, N.Y. native was named the 2025 Softball Team's Most Valuable and Most Improved Player. Starting all 31 games at shortstop, Lacki led the team with 32 hits, 24 runs, and a team-best .348 batting average. She added 14 RBIs, six doubles, a triple, and 17 walks.

Kimberly Bentley, a sophomore pitcher from Brighton, N.Y., is excelling both on the field and in the classroom. The Forensic Science/Crime Scene Investigation major holds a 3.939 GPA. This season, she appeared in 17 games, pitching 20.2 innings with a 2-2 record. Bentley allowed 19 runs, struck out nine, and contributed one RBI offensively with a sacrifice fly.

Samantha Heppel, a senior infielder from Angola, N.Y., closed out her two-year Hilbert career with a 3.933 GPA. She is set to graduate in December 2025 with a degree in Digital Media and Communication. Heppel started all 31 games this season, tallying 29 hits, 22 runs, and 20 RBIs. She led the team with 11 doubles and seven stolen bases and posted a .921 fielding percentage with 32 putouts. Heppel also started three games in the circle, tossing 9.1 innings, and struck out four while allowing 12 runs.

Kailey Stolowski, in her second season, continues to climb the Hawks' all-time pitching ranks. The psychology major from Florida, N.Y. boasts a 3.986 GPA. Stolowski led the team with 80.0 innings pitched, starting 14 games. She allowed 112 hits, 48 runs, and 37 walks, while striking out 69. She finished with a 4-9 record, six complete games including one shutout and two saves.

Alana Yadov, a sophomore from Angleton, Texas, is making her mark both athletically and academically. The Sports Industry Management major maintains a 3.900 GPA and serves as Hilbert's SAAC President and secretary of the Phi Beta Lambda club. Yadov, a Third Team AMCC All-Conference selection, started 30 games—14 as a pitcher—and logged 77 innings. She allowed 96 hits and 51 runs, walked 45, and led the team with 79 strikeouts carding a 5-8 record with four complete games. Offensively, she recorded 21 hits, scored 12 runs, and added five doubles and 13 RBIs.