Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University junior right-handed pitcher Allison Smith (Daleville, Va.) has been named to the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball first team (college division), selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). A graduate of Lord Botetourt High School, Smith earns ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III first team honors for the first time in her career.

The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America selected Smith for this prestigious honor. Twenty-two student-athletes were named to either the first or second ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball teams. Smith and her 11 fellow first team members will advance to the national ballot.

The District III College Division consists of all-non NCAA Division I colleges and universities in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Virginia. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.30 cumulative grade point average. In addition, the student-athlete must be a starter or a significant reserve on her team.

Smith is the number two starter for the Bulldogs (35-15 overall). On the season, she is 16-7 overall with a 1.97 ERA. Smith has 17 complete games and a team-best seven shutouts. She twirled a no-hitter against NCAA Division II top 25 team Augusta State University on Feb. 11, 2010.

In 2009, she helped Wingate to the NCAA Division II play-offs and a South Atlantic Conference regular season title with SAC statistical champion totals in strikeouts per game (7.13) and ERA (0.94). Opponents hit a paltry .188 against her last season.

An NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete, Smith is very active on the Wingate campus. She is the copy editor for The Weekly Triangle, Wingate’s campus newspaper. Smith helped organize the softball team’s participation in the CROP Walk. In addition, she serves as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative for the softball team.

Smith owns a 3.795 GPA. She is a Communication major with a Journalism emphasis. Smith is a member of Lambda Pi Eta, the communications fraternity on campus. She is an active volunteer through SAAC and softball team activities.

Smith is one of only two South Atlantic Conference student-athletes to earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball first team honors (college division). Mars Hill College senior infielder Rebekah Huff joins Smith on the first team. Future SAC member Anderson (S.C.) University has two players on the first team.

“Allison is well respected not only by me, but by my coaching staff, as well as her peers,” Wingate head coach Michelle Caddigan says. “She approaches all of her tasks, both academic as well as extra curricular, in a mature and responsible manner. I have every expectation that she will achieve all that she sets her sights on.” 

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,159 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.

Wingate offers 34 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.

Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past four years.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 34 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 43 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.


(Wingate University assistant sports information director Hugh Patton contributed information to this article. Patton is a 2006 Wingate graduate with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies.) 

2010 ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT III
SOFTBALL TEAMS (COLLEGE DIVISION, AS SELECTED BY CoSIDA)

FIRST TEAM
P-Allison Smith, Wingate
P-Kari Walsh, Tampa
P-Michaela Wolf, Francis Marion
C-Dominica Jordan, SCAD
INF-Rebekah Huff, Mars Hill
INF-Lauren Lopez, Nova Southeastern
INF-Emily Monteith, Anderson (S.C.)
INF-Ashley Plaugher, Shenandoah
OF-Lauren Duguay, Lynchburg
OF-Katrina Lavadan, Lynn
OF-Meredith Knox, Anderson (S.C.)
DP-Emily Morris, Bridgewater

SECOND TEAM
P-Dani Caron, Nova Southeastern
C-Emily Cheek, Piedmont
INF-Leah Cossentino, Bridgewater
INF-Chelsie Hilbourn, Newberry
INF-Noemi Luciani, Nova Southeastern
INF-Angela Spinelli, Bridgewater
OF-Brittany Gross, Lynn
OF-Brittany Nichols, N.C. Wesleyan
OF-Cassie Walsh, Emory
DP-Caitlin Fitzgerald, Emory