The NIU softball team is picking up some pretty good habits.

Last season’s North Star Conference title was its third straight and the naming of junior catcher Julie Sexton to the 1990 GTE Academic All-America First-Team was the fifth consecutive All-America honor bestowed to a Huskie. The selections are made by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Sexton, an NIU physical education major, combined team-highs (.370 batting average, 50 hits and 15 stolen bases) with a 3.69 GPA. The honor was a bit of a surprise to coach Dee Abrahamson, who said Sexton had plenty to think about on the diamond as well.

“To be honest, we didn’t believe she’d get credit for the contribution she made this year,” Abrahamson said. “We had a very young pitching staff and there was a lot of pressure on her to make the right calls.”

Sexton, from Antioch (Ill.) High, joins a starting ten with an average GPA of 3.62 and a team batting average of .327. The cumulative ERA of the three honor teams is 0.68 with a 49-12 record.

Past Huskie All-Americas: Sue Kause (First-Team 1986, ‘87, ’88); Amy Veld (Honorable Mention 1986, First-Team 1987, Second-Team 1988); Beth Schrader (Third-Team 1987,‘89, First-Team 1988) and Laura Peterson (Second-Team 1988).

Sexton’s teammate, junior first baseman Lisa Gilfoy, was named to the All-Midwest Region First Team for the second consecutive year. Gilfoy was a Second-Teamer in 1988. Gilfoy was the Huskies’ 1990 MVP, leading the team in RBI (26) and doubles (13) in addition to a .366 batting mark. Defensively, Gilfoy led the squad with a .992 fielding average.