Nancy Evans of Arizona Named to GTE Academic All-America SoftballTeam; Standout Pitcher won 36 Games for College World Series Finalists

STAMFORD, Conn. - - Pitcher Nancy Evans of the University of Arizona, a first team All-American who led her team to the championship game of the College World Series, is among the student-athletes named to the GTE Academic All-America Softball Team announced today by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

A senior from Glendale, Calif., Evans finished the season with a 36-2 record and a 0.98 earned run average with 255 strikeouts in 241 innings. She also had three no-hitters, 20 shutouts and batted .366 with seven home runs and 42 runs batted in, helping her team to the College World Series title game, where they lost 1-0 to Fresno State. Evans, named the University Division's GTE Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, is a psychology major with a 3.22 Grade Point Average (GPA).

College World Series participant Traci Conrad of Michigan, a senior infielder from Frankfort, Ill., also made the first team (3.42/sports management/communications) while earning All-America honors.

Two players from the College Division had perfect 4.00 GPA's -- catcher Julie Cobb of Central Missouri St. (occupational safety & health), a junior from Rosemount, Minn.; and infielder Molly Carr of Indiana (Pa.) (education), a junior from St. Mary's, Pa. Pitcher Kelly Schade of Simpson (3.92/economics) was named Team Member of the Year. Schade is a junior from Osceola, Iowa.

The GTE Academic All-America Teams are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member CoSIDA. To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Sports information directors nominate eligible athletes from their schools who are named to district teams prior to being voted upon on the national level. CoSIDA has been selecting Academic All-America teams since 1952.

With 1997 revenues of more than $23 billion, GTE is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies and a leading provider of integrated telecommunications services. In the United States, GTE provides local service in 28 states and wireless service in 17 states; nationwide long-distance and internetworking services ranging from dial-up Internet access for residential and small-business consumers to Web-based applications for Fortune 500 companies; as well as video service in selected markets.

Outside the United States, the company serves more than 7 million telecommunications customers. GTE is also a leader in government and defense communications systems and equipment, directories and telecommunications-based information services, and aircraft-passenger telecommunications.

Following is a complete list of the GTE Academic All-America Softball Teams in the University and College Divisions:

UNIVERSITY DIVISION

First Team

Second Team

Third Team

***GTE Academic All-America Team Member of the Year - University Division

COLLEGE DIVISION

First Team

Second Team

***GTE Academic All-America Team Member of the Year - College Division