May 11, 2006

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina’s Ashley Smith was named to the ESPN The Magazine Softball Academic All-District Team for the third consecutive year. With this selection, Smith is now a candidate for the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot, of which she is already a two-time selection.

The Portage, Mich. native has a 4.0 GPA in civil engineering and led the Gamecocks in SEC action with a .286 batting average. Smith led the Gamecocks in RBI with 12 and in hits with 20. She is also a three-time SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, in addition to being named USC’s Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

In the University Division, Smith is one of six student-athletes that recorded a 4.0, and is the only player in District III.

In 2004, Smith was named a second team Academic All-American and in 2005, she was named third team.

The senior catcher finished her career tied for fifth on USC’s all-time home run list with 17, and she ranks eighth in RBI with 106. Her career batting average is .261 and she played in 208 games.

District 3 Winners
University Division
FIRST TEAM
Catcher
Ashley Smith, SOUTH CAROLINA, Sr., Portage, Mich.
4.0, Civil Engineering
Infield
Meghan McCoy, GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY, Sr., Powder Springs, Ga.
3.8, Finance & Honors
Infield
Laura Hill, WINTHROP UNIVERSITY, Jr., Pickering, Ontario
3.91, Biology
Infield
Paige Goss, ELON UNIVERSITY, Jr., Wellington, Fla.
3.8, Business Administration
Infield
Krista Holle, SOUTH FLORIDA, Sr., Tampa, Fla.
3.58, Finance
Outfield
Natasha Jacob, FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, Sr., Coppell, Texas
3.87, Exercise Science
Outfield
Tiffany Stewart, SOUTH FLORIDA, Sr., Odessa, Fla.
3.72, Psychology
Outfield
Mary Lutz, APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY, Sr., Brentwood, Tenn.
3.86, Psychology
Pitcher
Angela Tincher, VIRGINIA TECH, So., Eagle Rock, Va.
3.79, Finance
Pitcher
Kasi Carroll, GEORGIA, Jr., Norris City, Ill.
3.83, Early Childhood Education
Utility / DH
Meagen Johnson, COASTAL CAROLINA, Sr., Georgetown, S.C.
3.86, History