May 13, 2004
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina softball’s Ashley Smith was named to the CoSida Academic All-District III Team as the sophomore catcher posted a 4.0 cumulative GPA. The civil engineering major will now represent the district on the national ballot and is a candidate for the 2004 Academic All-America Softball Team.
Smith, a native of Portage, Mich., is a first-time honoree and is the only player on the District III team to boast a perfect 4.0 GPA. In addition to Smith, five of the other members are first time honorees including Jenny Gladding (Florida), Diana Korcak (Jacksonville), Katie Lewis (Georgia), Natasha Jacobs (Florida State) and Jessica Graziano (North Carolina).
Athletically, Smith is second on the team in batting average with .320 and leads the team in RBI’s with 29 and doubles with 12. In SEC play, Smith leads the team with a .366 average and has 15 RBI’s.
This marks the sixth CoSida District III honoree for South Carolina. Others include: 1996-Beth Collett and Chanda Lee; 1997-Chanda Lee; 1998-Kim Pietro; 1999-Kim Pietro; 2003-Danielle Quinones.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects All-America teams in 12 programs: football, women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s track and field/cross country, women’s track and field/cross country, men’s at-large, women’s at-large.
2004 Academic All-District III University Division Softball Team
P-Jenny Gladding, Florida, Sr., Palm City, Fla., 3.53 Criminology
P-Erin Voeltz, Georgia Tech, Sr., Westlake, Calif., 3.71 Management
C-Ashley Smith, South Carolina, So., Portage, Mich., 4.0 Civil Engineering
IF-Stephanie Best, Central Florida, Jr., Fort Mill, S.C., 3.238 Liberal Studies
IF-Dianna Korcak, Jacksonville, Sr., Clearwater, Fla., 3.673 Elementary Education
IF-Katie Lewis, Georgia, Jr., Marietta, Ga., 3.46 Biology
IF-Rachael Riopel, Gardner-Webb, Jr., Rhinelander, Wisc., 3.888 Biology
OF-Jenilee Garner Florida, Sr., Gainesville, Fla., 3.81, Business Administration
OF-Natasha Jacob, Florida State, So., Coppell, Texas, 3.983 Exercise Science
OF-Janiva Willis, Winthrop, Jr., Irishtown, New Brunswick, 3.74 Physical Education
DP-Jessica Graziano, North Carolina, Sr., Pearl River, N.Y., 3.302 Exercise & Sports Science
