 |  |
CoSIDA names four Lady Hawks to Academic All-District team
By Blair Hooper
ROME -- Shorter University placed four volleyball student-athletes the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District team according to a release from the organization on Thursday afternoon.
Lady Hawks Leslie Welch, Jessica Cooper, Jordan Corder, and Loren Olive were selected as Academic All-District honorees for the College Division of District 2. All four student-athletes are now eligible for consideration on CoSIDA's Academic All-America teams.
Shorter's commitment to excellence both on and off the playing field was once again affirmed by these latest Academic All-District selections coming days after seven soccer athletes were placed on the Academic All-District team in their respective sport.
Shorter volleyball athletes represented 40 percent of all District 2 College Division honorees.
Welch, a junior middle blocker from LaFayette, Ga., boasts a 4.0 GPA in Psychology and has 195 kills while ranking second on the team with 107 total blocks this season.
Cooper, a senior middle blocker from Grant, Ala., carries a 3.89 GPA in Early Childhood Education. She ranks third on Shorter’s roster with 291 kills, leads the Lady Hawks with 114 total blocks and ranks No. 2 in the Southern States Athletic Conference with a .401 hitting percentage this season. Cooper was named to the SSAC All-Academic team in 2010 and was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete selection last season.
Corder, a junior setter out of Hazel Green, Ala., posted a 3.31 GPA in Early Childhood Education. Corder has 995 assists and 337 digs this season for the Lady Hawks. With over 3,000 assists in her career, Corder was the first freshman in Shorter history to be named SSAC Setter of the Year and has received that honor in each of her first two seasons.
Olive, a junior outside hitter from Killen, Ala., carries a 3.88 GPA in History and Political Science. She boasts 211 kills and 271 digs so far in 2011. Olive is a two-time All-SSAC selection and was also honored as an SSAC All-Academic.
To be nominated for CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District and All-America honors, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.3 cumulative grade point average at his/her institution. Voting for the Capital One Academic All-America teams ends Nov. 15.
CoSIDA – College Sports Information Directors of America -- began its Academic All-America program in the 1950s, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports and across all divisions. Currently, CoSIDA honors Academic All-Americans in 12 sports.
