SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Santa Clara softball had a program record 12 student-athletes named West Coast Conference All-Academic, the league office announced on Thursday.  Taryn Clements, Cari Ferguson and Elle Merlino were named to the All-Academic Team, while nine Broncos – Kyla Acres, Robynn Balmediano, Cairah Curran, Leiora Davidson, Caitlyn Golob, Kendal Manley, Marie Martorella, Rebecca Rubio, and Avery Seva – were recognized as honorable mentions. 

This year's total of 12 honorees eclipsed the previous program high of 10 back in 2020.  Santa Clara also had the most recipients out of the seven WCC institutions. 

At the conclusion of each athletic season, the WCC selects an all-academic squad for each WCC-sponsored sport. To be considered, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average, while being a starter or important reserve (participate in at least 50 percent of the institution's completed contests, pitchers at least 25 percent) with legitimate athletic credentials and have at least sophomore athletic and academic standing with at least one year in residence completed at the nominating institution.

Clements, Ferguson and Merlino earned three of the 13 spots on the All-Academic Team.  While normally a 12-member team, this year's team had 13 members due to a tie in voting.

This was Clements' second time named to the all-academic team as she boasted a cumulative grade point average of 3.885 while majoring in neuroscience.  Clements batted .273 with a .417 on-base percentage in 45 games.  40 of the starts came behind the dish where the 2025 WCC Defensive Player of the Year threw out 12 would-be base stealers.  In 17 WCC games, Clements slashed .366/.500/.634 to rank in the top-10 in each category as she was named All-WCC second team on Tuesday.

Ferguson earned her first league academic recognition with a 3.776 GPA in finance.  The sophomore hurler was named second team All-WCC going 12-11 with a 2.72 ERA, 10 complete games and three shutouts.  The Long Beach, California native led the conference in starts (23) and innings pitched (139.0) and was second in complete games (10) and strikeouts (95).  In WCC games, Ferguson tied for the league-lead in wins with six and was especially tough down the stretch picking up wins in three consecutive games against Seattle U and Saint Mary's when the Broncos' backs were against the wall chasing down the Gaels for the conference crown.

Merlino has a 3.862 GPA in public health science to earn her first academic honor.  The sophomore batted .263 with a pair of home runs playing the hot corner position.  She appeared in 48 games and started in 46. 

Santa Clara had nine honorable mentions to lead all WCC schools. 

Acres has a 3.561 GPA majoring in public health science where she will graduate in just three years with honors.  This spring Acres started in 24 of the 36 she appeared in batting .238 with 11 RBIs.  She hit her first career home run against the defending national champions, Texas Longhorns, earlier in the season.  This is her second WCC All-Academic honorable mention recognition in as many seasons. 

Balmediano, now a three-time WCC All-Academic honorable mention, has a 3.471 GPA majoring in psychology.  She played in all but one game and started in 48, all at left field where she batted .269 with 10 extra base hits.  In late April, the Bronco senior was the fourth toughest batter to strikeout in the nation fanning once per 56.5 at-bats and finished the season getting rung up just seven times.  On Tuesday, Balmediano was named All-WCC honorable mention.  She will be attending graduate school this fall at Santa Clara's Education and Counseling Psychology program. 

Curran has a 3.454 GPA in public health science.  This is the first conference all-academic accolade for the three-time All-WCC selection who was named to the second team earlier in the week.  The junior hit .347 from the leadoff spot, starting in all 51 games.  She finished top-10 in the conference in at-bats (170), hits (59), runs (34), triples (4) and stolen base (28).  Defensively Curran tied for second in double plays turned with 17.

Davidson was named WCC All-Academic honorable mention for the third time with a 3.782 GPA majoring in public health science with a minor in sociology.  The senior started in 40 of the 43 games she appeared in primarily at first base and finished atop the Santa Clara record book with a .992 career fielding percentage.  This season, Davidson was second on the team with three home runs and third in RBIs with 21. 

Golob has a 3.480 GPA in public health science earning her first academic recognition.  The junior started in 46 of the 47 games she appeared and collected 23 hits on the year.  The centerfielder had seven assists and was involved in three double plays. 

Martorella has a 3.301 GPA in biology to earn her first WCC All-Academic recognition.  She played in 31 games, starting in 21 of them and batted .278.  In league action, Martorella had a .342 batting average with 11 RBIs in 14 games.  Next month, the senior will begin attending the University of California, San Francisco to earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Another first timer is Manley who has a 3.698 GPA in psychology.  The senior appeared in 13 games and started on Senior Day last Saturday in the regular season finale against Saint Mary's.  On the year, she went 1-1 with a save pitching 24 1/3 innings.  Manley also belted a home run against Texas.

Rubio has a 3.386 GPA in marketing.  The All-WCC first team selection played in all 51 games and led the team with a .349 batting average and a .429 on-base percentage, good for 11th and 8th highest marks, respectively, in the WCC.  In league play, she turned it up a notch to the tune of .382 BA and .469 OBP.  The Buena Park, California native also had 12 stolen bases for the second highest total on the team.  Defensively, Rubio turned a league-high 19 double plays from the shortstop position with a .928 fielding percentage.  This is her first all-academic recognition. 

Seva has a 3.468 GPA in marketing to earn her second honorable mention recognition.  The junior tossed 26 1/3 innings over 13 games and posted a 2-0 record.

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