Five Illini Earn CSC Academic All-District Accolades

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Five Illinois softball players earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors, the organization announced on Tuesday. Page Berkmeyer, Adisyn Caryl, Eileen Donahue, Stevie Meade and Lauren Wiles took home the academic honors.

This is the third time Meade has been awarded the accolade while Berkmeyer earned the distinction for a second-straight year. Caryl, Donahue and Wiles were given the distinction for the first time in their careers.

Berkmeyer closed out her senior campaign slashing .272/.384/.361. The catcher continued to shine behind the dish, ranking third all-time in the Illini record books with 41 runners caught stealing. Berkmeyer received her undergraduate degree in 2024 and is pursuing her masters in Animal Science.

Caryl finished second on the team with a .321 batting average during her sophomore campaign. The third baseman was the only Fighting Illini player to start every game this season. The 11 doubles Caryl amassed tied for first on the team while the seven homers ranked second. Caryl is majoring in Elementary Education and Spanish.

Donahue paced the Fighting Illini with a .331 batting average, .574 slugging percentage, 10 home runs and 35 RBI this season. The sophomore appeared in 46 games, starting 44 primarily playing at first base. The Chicago native is majoring in Elementary Education.

Meade concluding her time donning the orange and blue slashing .273/.489/.340. The outfielder’s 11 doubles and two triples were tied for first on the team this season. Meade leaves her legacy on the Illini program, becoming the all-time leader in sacrifice hits. Meade graduated with her degree in Interdisciplinary Health.

Wiles posted a 4.24 ERA with 36 strikeouts during her senior campaign. The pitcher tossed four complete games and recorded one complete game shutout this season. Her 67.2 innings pitched ranked third among the Illini pitching staff. Wiles received her master’s in Management this spring.

To be eligible for the award, a nominee must have a 3.50 GPA and is at least a sophomore academically and athletically. Nominees must also be a starter or important reserve to the team and participated in at least 90 percent of the games during the 2025 campaign.