The 1990 NIU Softball season hasn’t even started yet and the accolades are already coming in.

Senior physical education major, and Huskie softball catcher, Julie Sexton will be presented with her 1990 GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America award during the halftime festivities of the Saturday, Sept. 1 NIU-Eastern Illinois football game at Huskie Stadium.

Sexton is one of the 10 NCAA Division I softball players selected to the 1990 GTE Academic All-America First Team. Sexton earned the award in voting by the over one thousand members of the College Sports Information Directors of America.

The NIU catcher is the eleventh player in Huskie history to be nominated for the award. NIU coach Dee Abrahamson was ecstatic for the recognition that is being given her senior standout.

“Being an Academic All-America is something we want all our players to aspire to,” Abrahamson said. “They (CoSIDA) think she’s the best student-athlete in the country and that’s what we’re here for.”

The fall portion of the softball season gets underway Sept. 15 in an away doubleheader.

Due to the addition of the NIU baseball program and the resulting conversion of the softball diamond to a baseball facility, all of the fall games will be played on the road this year.

And to house future Huskie softball teams, a new softball diamond is under construction. Among the future Huskies playing in the new facility might be a few walk-ons.

Abrahamson is opening up try-outs to all those interested in being a part of this year’s team. There will be a meeting on Tuesday, August 28 at 8:30 p.m. at Chick Evans Field House.

Abrahamson said that she wants to meet with everybody interested in trying out, in order to get their schedules and to set up practice times.

Abrahamson added that anyone who’s interested in a tryout, but cannot make it to the meeting, or if anyone has any questions, the softball coaching staff will field calls at 753-1497.