Seven SAC Women’s Soccer Players Named To Academic All-District Teams

October 31, 2009

BRISTOL, Conn. - Seven women's soccer players from the South Atlantic Conference have been named to the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District College Division Women's Soccer Team.

The ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District team is selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). District III includes the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Disctrict IV includes all colleges and universities from Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Ohio and Michigan.

Newberry

For the second consecutive year, a Newberry College women's soccer player was named to the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District III College Division Women's Soccer Team. Senior Sara Geisman (Middleburg Heights, Ohio) was named to the First Team, a feat she also acheived last season.

Sara Geisman

Lindsay Webster

Abby Martin

Madi Welch

Samantha Baldwin

Julie Zielinski

Ashley Bradford

This marks the second straight selection for Geisman to the First Team Academic All-District. She has a 3.91 grade point average while majoring in Biology and Geisman is only one of two players to play every minute of every match this season for Newberry. Geisman has accumulated three assists from her position on the Newberry back line and has helped anchor a defense that leads the South Atlantic Conference in goals allowed and shutouts, allowing nine goals all season at a 0.53 goals per game clip and shutting out opponents 10 times.

With the selection to the first team all-district, Geisman is eligible for Academic All-American honors. That award will be announced in late November.

Catawba

Catawba College sophomore goalkeeper Lindsay Webster (Hopkinton, MA/Hopkinton HS) has been named to the second team College Division Women's Soccer Academic All-District 3 Team by ESPN The Magazine. The athletic training major has a 3.72 grade point average and has been named to the Dean's List and the SAC Honor Roll.

Webster has started 10 of 17 matches in goal this season and has posted a 0.79 goals against average with four shutouts. She has notched 11 shutouts in her career and was named second team All-SAC last year.

Mars Hill

For the second straight year, Abby Martin has been selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Region second team.

Martin, from Greer, S.C., sports a 3.93 GPA in Elementary education. Martin also leads the Lions in goals (7), assists (4) and total points (18). In the South Atlantic Conference, she ranks seventh in shots, is tied for 10th in goals and ranks 10th in assists.

Wingate

Wingate University placed three women's soccer players on the All-District team. Senior defender Madi Welch (Monroe, N.C.) earned second team laurels. Junior defender Samantha Baldwin (Stallings, N.C.) and junior midfielder Julie Zielinski (Erie, Pa.) were named to the third team.

A four-year starter for the Bulldogs, Welch was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference second team in 2008. Welch has two goals and one assist this year. Her career stats include 14 goals, 11 assists and four match-winners.

Welch and the Bulldog defense allowed only 0.69 goals per game in 2008, tops in the SAC. The Wingate defense also led the SAC with 11 shutouts last year. The 2008 Wingate side equaled a school-record with 14 victories.

Welch is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma and the Delta Mu Delta honor societies. She is also involved with the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. A Marketing major, Welch has a 3.67 GPA.

Baldwin is a two-year starter for the Bulldogs. She earned pre-season All-South Atlantic Conference honors in 2009. Baldwin has two goals this year. She started 13 of her 15 matches last season. A Habitat for Humanity and soccer camp volunteer, Baldwin is a Biology major. She possesses a 3.76 GPA.

Zielinski is a three-year starter for the Bulldogs. She has started every match this year entering the SAC tournament. In 2009, Zielinski has three goals and three assists. Wingate is 3-0 overall when Zielinski scores a goal this year.

On campus, Zielinski is a member of the Student Government Association public relations committee, the Delta Mu Delta honor society and the Wingate Leadership Fellows. During her summers, Zielinski volunteers at the Pennsylvania Soldiers' and Sailors' Home in Erie. She is a Marketing major with a 3.51 GPA.

Tusculum

Tusculum College's Ashley Bradford has been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV College Division Women's Soccer Third Team.

Tusculum College's Ashley Bradford, a 5-7 senior midfielder from London, Ky., has a 3.85 cumulative grade point average, majoring in Pre-Physical Therapy.

The North Laurel High School graduate has played in 17 matches this season, including 14 starts, accounting for three starts and an assist. All three of her goals have been match-winners, which is tied for the team-lead.

She is a member of the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List! ! and Dean's List. She was named the 2006-07 Tusculum Freshman Academic Female Athlete of the Year, which recognizes the freshman student-athlete with the highest GPA.