ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Five student-athletes from the College of Saint Benedict softball program – Bryn Ruhberg, Cat Smetana, Ellie Peterson, Olivia Wallace and Lauren Freeberg – have been named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team for their performance on the field and in the classroom.

The 2026 Academic All-District® Softball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. Student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.

For the fourth consecutive season, CSB softball has had three or more Academic All-District honorees. Smetana and Peterson earned their third straight All-District honor while Ruhberg and Wallace were honored for the second time and Freeberg received her first recognition.

The Bennies finished the 2026 season with a 36-11 overall record. CSB posted a 21-1 mark in conference play, claiming the program's fifth MIAC regular-season championship. The Bennies also won the MIAC Playoff Championship before falling to Simpson College in the NCAA Regional championship game. 

Bryn Ruhberg | Senior | Catcher | Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial
A political science major, Ruhburg earned her second CSC Academic All-District honor after being recognized as Academic All-MIAC in 2024 and 2025. Ruhberg played in and started 43 games this season for the Bennies. She finished the year with 32 hits, 20 runs scored, 11 doubles, a .283 batting average, and a .407 slugging percentage. She led the team and league with a MIAC-best 12 hit-by-pitches. For the season, she had a .981 fielding percentage with 124 putouts and 33 assists. Ruhberg was also selected to the MIAC All-Playoff team. Ruhberg caught 16 players stealing this season which led NCAA Division III.

Cat Smetana | Senior | Infielder | Lake Elmo, Minn./Stillwater 
An economics major, Smetana was recognized as CSC Academic All-District for the third-straight time, while having two Academic All-MIAC honors to her credit. Smetana played in and started every game for the Bennies this season. She posted a .342 batting average with 55 hits and nine doubles. Smetana posted a team-best .992 fielding percentage (5th-best in the MIAC) with 340 putouts and 14 assists. A three-time MIAC honoree during her career, Smetana was also an All-Region selection in 2023 and 2025.

Ellie Peterson | Senior | Pitcher | St. Anthony Village, Minn.
An exercise science and Hispanic studies major, Peterson earned her third-straight academic All-District honor. Peterson led the Bennies with a team-best 18 wins in the pitching circle. She led CSB with 156.0 innings pitched, compiling an ERA of just 1.79 and an opponent batting average of .249. Peterson struck out 79 batters on the season against just 44 walks. She led the MIAC in innings pitched, was second in wins and fifth in batting average. Peterson graduates as a four-time All-MIAC honoree, two-time MIAC Pitcher of the Year and was named to the All-Region second team on May 15.

Olivia Wallace | Senior | Pitcher | Maple Grove, Minn.
Wallace, a biology major, earned her second CSC Academic All-District honor after being named Academic All-MIAC in 2024 and 2025. She posted a 14-3 record for the Bennies this season, pitching 112.2 innings. She struck out 57 batters, while allowing 44 walks with a .309 batting average and seven complete games. Wallace is a two-time All-MIAC selection.

Lauren Freeberg | Sophomore | Infield | Rogers, Minn.
Freeberg, an accounting and finance major, earned her first CSC Academic All-District honor. She played in 42 games for CSB this season with a .341 batting average, 42 hits, 28 runs scored and seven home runs. Freeberg was second on the team with a .642 slugging percentage, while putting up eight doubles and a team-best four triples. She earned honorable mention All-MIAC honors for her efforts this season and was named to the NCAA Regional All-Tournament team.