Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois Wesleyan University softball players Jen Kuhn and Ava Khoury have been honored by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) with Academic All-America titles. On June 17, Kuhn received first-team status and was named the CSC Division III Softball Academic All-America of the Year, while Khoury earned third-team honors.

The university has achieved a total of 23 Academic All-America selections in softball, leading Division III and ranking seventh across all NCAA divisions and NAIA. Kuhn is the first in Illinois Wesleyan's program history to receive the CSC Academic All-America of the Year title and is the tenth overall recipient for Illinois Wesleyan. She joins previous honorees such as Lexi Onsrud (women's at-large - golf - 2024) and Matthew Leritz (men's basketball - 2022), among others. This year marks the sixth time that two Titan softball teammates have been honored simultaneously, following Sam Bergoff and Ally Wiegand in 2020.

Illinois Wesleyan now boasts an all-time list of 166 Academic All-America selections, placing it in the top-25 across NCAA Division I, II, and III, as well as top-10 within Division III. The addition of Kuhn and Khoury brings this year's total to six honorees from Illinois Wesleyan, joining Nick Roper (men's basketball), Mallory Powers (women's basketball), Lauren Huber (women's basketball), and Kannyn Boyd (women's volleyball).

Kuhn concluded her senior season with numerous accolades. A Normal, Illinois native, she graduated with a degree in graphic design while maintaining a 3.98 GPA. Her achievements include being voted National Firstpitch Coaches Association First Team All-America and receiving the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at shortstop. She was also named College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Year and earned First Team All-CCIW status for three consecutive seasons. Kuhn set records with a .449 batting average, 70 hits, 17 doubles, eight home runs, 57 RBIs, and 38 runs scored.

Khoury completed her career with a degree in kinesiology and allied health. As a Columbia, Illinois native who started every game over four years at first base for IWU, she hit .375 during her final season with nine home runs leading her team. Her accomplishments include setting program records for career home runs (35) and ranking second all-time in RBIs (145).

In 2025, Illinois Wesleyan achieved a record-breaking season with a 37-9 overall record. The team set a new program record with a streak of 25 consecutive victories and won both regular-season and tournament championships in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Additionally, they secured their first regional win in the NCAA Division III Softball Tournament since 2019.