LEWISTON, Maine — Four Bobcats were named to the College Sports Communicators Women's Basketball Academic All-District® Team, announced Tuesday. Seniors Ava James and Sophie Spolter, junior Sarah Hughes, and sophomore Lily Lambo each earned recognition for Bates.
James and Spolter land on the list for the third straight season, while Hughes makes her second appearance.
A native of Bethesda, Md., James carries a 3.87 GPA and also earned NESCAC All-Academic honors for the third consecutive year. The senior guard started all 30 games for the NESCAC champions, who advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the second time in three seasons. James averaged 6.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
A team captain, James scored a career-high 21 points in a 63–53 season-opening win over WPI on Nov. 15. She recorded seven double-digit scoring efforts, including 12 points in Bates' 67–64 overtime win over Hamilton in the NESCAC quarterfinals (Feb. 21).
Spolter, a biology major from Blacklick, Ohio, posted a 3.77 GPA and earned NESCAC All-Academic honors for the third time. She started all 30 games, averaging 9.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. Spolter added 53 assists and shot 78-for-97 (.804) from the free throw line.
The senior recorded three 20-point games, including back-to-back efforts in NCAA Tournament wins over Merchant Marine Academy and Smith (March 6–7). She totaled 56 points across three NCAA Tournament contests.
Hughes, a mathematics and economics double major, holds a 3.69 GPA. The junior guard started all 30 games, averaging 11.0 points and 5.5 rebounds. The Rumson, N.J., native led Bates with 75 assists and ranked second with 330 points and 36 made three-pointers.
A two-time NESCAC All-Academic selection, Hughes also added first team All-NESCAC and first team All-Region honors this season. She shot a team-best .473 from the field and earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors three times. Hughes averaged over 22 points per game across Bates' first four postseason contests, including a season-high 24 points in a 61–56 win over Bowdoin in the NESCAC championship game.
Lambo, an economics major from Watertown, Mass., makes her Academic All-District® debut with a 3.92 GPA. The sophomore guard appeared in all 30 games, averaging 4.3 points and 3.5 rebounds while adding 44 assists and 24 steals in 21.9 minutes per game.
Also a first-time NESCAC All-Academic selection, Lambo scored a season-high 13 points twice — against Bowdoin (Dec. 4) and Hamilton (Jan. 11).
The 2025–26 Academic All-District® Women's Basketball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately honors women's basketball student-athletes in four divisions: NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs receive partial financial support from the NCAA Division II and III governance structures, while the NAIA program is supported through NAIA governance. For more information, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
