LC’s Duguay, BC’s Morris, Cossentino, Spinelli Honored
SALEM, Va. --- Four ODAC
softball players added postseason honors to their portfolios over
the past week as the College Sports Information Directors of
America (CoSIDA) announced its academic all-district teams.
Lynchburg College outfielder Lauren Duguay and Bridgewater College
designated player Emily Morris headline the list as they were named
to the 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 3 First
Team. Eagles’ infielders Leah Cossentino and Angela
Spinelli were tabbed to the second team.
The academic all-district teams are a part of the CoSIDA/ESPN The
Magazine Academic All-America Program, covering schools in separate
university (NCAA Division I) and college (NCAA Divisions II and
III) divisions. To be eligible for nomination, a
student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at
least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at
his/her current institution. Nominated athletes must have
participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s games at
the position listed on the nomination form (where
applicable). No student-athlete is eligible until he/she has
completed one full calendar year at his/her current institution and
has reached sophomore athletic eligibility.
Student-athletes named to academic all-district first teams move
on to the national ballot for academic all-america
consideration. Both Duguay and Morris fit these criteria, and
join student-athletes from eight different districts. The
2010 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic-America Softball Teams are
set to be announced May 26.
Duguay, a senior from Williamsburg, Va., won the 2010 ODAC/Farm
Bureau Scholar-Athlete Award as well as the 2010 ODAC Player of the
Year accolade. Duguay boasts a 3.53 grade point average while
majoring in communication studies with an emphasis on public
relations and journalism. She also minors in health
promotions. A perennial member of the Lynchburg Dean’s
List and the All-ODAC Academic Team, Duguay is also a member of the
PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America). A
two-time All-ODAC First Team choice, Duguay posted a .434 overall
batting average with seven homeruns and 35 runs batted in.
Her numbers improved against tough ODAC opponents in the regular
season. She sported a conference-best .520 batting average
against league foes, hitting six homers to go with 21 RBI.
Morris, a junior from Powhatan, Va., also maintains a 3.53 GPA
while majoring in chemistry. Cossentino, a junior from
Marriottsville, Md., owns a 3.83 GPA as a psychology major while
classmate Spinelli, from Ocala, Fla., is a biology major with a
3.91 GPA. All three student-athletes were recently inducted
into the National College Athletes Honor Society and aided the
Eagles to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA)
All-Academic Team honors in 2009.
Morris was named to the All-ODAC Second Team placing sixth in the
league in batting with a .429 average. She finished third in
the conference in slugging (.737) and fifth in on-base percentage
(.500). Morris stands fourth in runs scored (42), hits (57)
and runs batted in (47), and is one of five players tied for second
with nine homeruns.
Cossentino also earned a spot on the All-ODAC Second Team in
2010. She capped her season with a .390 batting average to go
along with a .436 on-base percentage. She scored 29 runs and
recorded 41 hits.
Spinelli was tabbed All-ODAC Honorable mention after batting .414
from the middle of the Eagles’ lineup. The first
baseman posted a .626 slugging percentage powered by four homers
and 62 total bases. She scored 41 runs and drove in 37.
For a look at the complete list of CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine
Academic All-District Softball Teams, click on the following link:
http://www.cosida.com/documents/2010/5/10/2010_AAA_All_District_Softball_Updated.pdf.
For more information on the academic all-america program, visit
CoSIDA at www.cosida.com.