Grace French & Gabi Haack Named NSCA All-American Athletes Of The Year

Sport Performance: Facility Pictures/Videos

General 4/30/2021 11:00:00 AM

PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley Sports Performance Head Coach Eddie Papis has announced Grace French (softball) and Gabi Haack (women's basketball) have been recognized as 2020-21 All-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

The NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year program recognizes collegiate and high school athletes whose athletic accomplishments, in the opinion of their strength coach, reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning. The NSCA All-Americans are also recognized for their academic and personal accomplishments and integrity as student-athletes.

French has a team-high seven victories this spring, owning a 7-4 record with one save in her 16 appearances. She has started a team-best 12 contests in the circle and tossed two complete game shutouts, including blanking league-leading Illinois State earlier this week. French has limited foes to a .289 average this year and leads the squad in both innings pitched and strikeouts. She boasts a career 2.92 ERA and 18-8 record, while tossing four complete game shutouts.

"Grace has not only grown into a great player, but a great leader," said Bradley Sports Performance Associate Head Coach Matt Friend. "Her leadership in training sessions has been a tremendous contribution to the team. She pushes her teammates to be their best along with becoming a force on the field. She posted among a team best 165-pound bench press, over 250-pound squat and 185-pound clean. Her dedication to her training is a big part of her growth as a student-athlete over the past couple years."

The only three-time First-Team All-Missouri Valley Conference honoree in Bradley Women's Basketball history, Haack is a repeat honoree for NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year. This past season, she was named MVC Tournament Most Outstanding Player after leading the Braves to the first Valley Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Haack was one of 30 national candidates for the Senior CLASS Award and has started a school record 109 consecutive games dating back to her freshman year. She is second in career scoring at Bradley with 1,640 career points, in addition to ranking second in MVC history with 283 career three-pointers and is the only player in MVC history to hit 60 or more three-pointers in four different seasons.

"Gabi's work ethic and commitment to her training is one of the best I've seen here at Bradley," said Friend. "She is always finding a way to better herself on the court and in the weight room, and it has shown in her on-court production. Her progress in her training has been tremendous with totaling a 195-pound bench press, 325-pound squat, and 400-pound deadlift. Her commitment in the weight room has been a big factor to her becoming one of the best women's basketball players in the conference."

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is an international nonprofit professional association founded in 1978 and is dedicated to advancing the strength and conditioning profession around the world. The NSCA advances the profession by supporting strength and conditioning professionals devoted to helping others discover and maximize their strengths. The organization disseminates research-based knowledge and its practical application by offering industry-leading certifications, research journals, career development services, and continuing education opportunities. The NSCA community is composed of more than 45,000 members and certified professionals who further industry standards as researchers, educators, strength coaches, personal trainers, and other roles in related fields.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Gabi Haack: G; 5' 10"; Junior

#32 Grace French: P/UT; 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R

Players Mentioned

#3 Gabi Haack
: 5' 10"; Junior
: G

#32 Grace French
: 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R
: P/UT

Grace French & Gabi Haack Named NSCA All-American Athletes Of The Year

Players Mentioned

#3 Gabi Haack

#32 Grace French

Players Mentioned

#3 Gabi Haack

#32 Grace French