Morgan Baird made more Southern Oregon University women’s basketball history on Wednesday when she was named the program’s first-ever Academic All-American.

Baird, the Coquille product who came to SOU prior to the 2024-25 season as a graduate transfer, was selected to the first team by the College Sports Communicators (CSC). A total of 11 women’s basketball players were recognized across the NAIA – five on the first team, six on the second – for a combination of their athletic and academic achievements.

Baird had many. As a student, she owns a 4.0 GPA in SOU’s Master of Business Administration program. She earned her bachelor’s degree last year from Rocky Mountain College (Mont.) with a 3.96 GPA, graduating summa cum laude.

Two weeks ago, she became the fourth first-team NAIA All-American in team history. She was also the Cascade Conference Player of the Year, SOU’s first in eight years.

A 5-foot-10 forward, Baird averaged 15.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in her only season with the Raiders. Her field-goal percentage of 58.3 was the best in the CCC and her free-throw percentage of 80.3 ranked fourth.

Her addition was a major reason the Raiders enjoyed one of their best seasons to date. They won 34 consecutive games – winning CCC regular-season and tournament championships – and were ranked No. 2 before going down in the quarterfinal round of the NAIA National Tournament.

Baird averaged 15.3 points and shot 54.4% from the field in seven postseason games. Out of 32 total outings, she failed to score in double figures just four times and ended up as the 16th 500-point scorer in SOU single-season history.

She finished with 1,275 career collegiate points, having split her first four seasons between Rocky and Portland State.

Baird is the 21st SOU student-athlete in any sport to make a CSC Academic All-America team and the third this year, joining volleyball player Megan Perry and men’s soccer player Casey Ruvolo.