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Ackerman continues to reel in the accolades from her prowess on the AWC Softball diamond-even six months after she played her final game for the Cardinal & Gold.  Ackerman set the tone for the Lady Matadors the past two seasons from the leadoff position, first setting a new school record for stolen bases during her freshman season with 47, and then absolutely shattering that same record last season with a whopping 77 stolen bases in just 81 attempts.  Ackerman helped lead the Lady Matadors to the Region I Playoffs during each of her two seasons, and finished last season with a .497 batting average (4^th in the ACCAC), 81 runs scored (2^nd in the ACCAC) and 25 runs batted in. Ackerman was named 1^st Team All-Region I both of her years at AWC, and was named 1^st Team All-ACCAC in ’06 and 2^nd Team All-ACCAC in ’05.  The ultimate honor for Ackerman arrived in late May, when she was named as an NJCAA 1^st Team All-American to wind up her AWC career.  “It’s just an amazing accomplishment to be ‘the’ best baserunner in the entire country,” said AWC Head Softball Coach Pam Stone.  “Coming from this conference alone, to be first named as an NJCAA All-American and then to receive this honor just shows you special Ashlee really is.”  Ackerman was also one of the top student-athletes on Stone’s teams, and was one of the main reasons that the ’06 AWC Softball Team was honored as an NJCAA Academic All-American team this past July.

Ackerman has continued her softball career-and her studies-at the University of Illinois-Chicago.  Ackerman has already made her presence known for the Lady Flames during their ‘fall ball’ season, getting several key hits-and of course, stolen bases-during games in the months of September and October.  Ackerman hasn’t had to adjust much:  just like at AWC, she’s leading off the lineup, and starting in center field.