Towson, MD - Piedmont College softball player ABBY SMITH has been named to the Capital One Academic All-America Team with the release of the awards listing earlier today from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).  Smith helped Piedmont to a 17-win season in 2015 by leading the team with her .442 batting average and 29 RBIs, both of which were top ten marks in the USA South Athletic Conference. 

Honored as a 1st Team All-Atlantic Region selection by the NFCA earlier this month as well, Smith was named a Capital One Academic All-District honoree just a few weeks ago through voting by CoSIDA members in District V, which encompasses Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  With her All-District selection, Smith became eligible for the Capital One Academic All-American honor as selected and released earlier today.

"It's a blessing to be a part of the Lady Lion softball team and a member of the Piedmont family," said Smith when she learned of receiving the honor. "I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse while playing the game that I love. I'm so honored!"

Already a two-time 1st team All-Conference honoree at the 3rd base spot, Smith becomes the 8th Capital One Academic All-American from Piedmont College joining volleyball player Kaitlin Norman and women's soccer player Kelsey Schaffernoth as honorees from the 2014-15 academic year alone. 

Smith is the second Piedmont softball player to be named a Capital One Academic All-American joining former teammate BRITTNEY HEAD who took 1st team honors last season.  Smith made the listing this season as an infielder on the 3rd team and is one of three USA South representatives on the list joining Averett's Taylor Dix and Samantha Hall.  

"It is wonderful to see another one of our fine student athletes recognized for their efforts in the classroom and on the playing field," said Piedmont Director of Intercollegiate Athletics John Dzik. "We are certainly proud to have Abby receive this award."

With less than 35 Division III players in the country selected to the awards listing, seventeen of the 34 members of the Capital One Academic All-American softball teams have a 3.90 or better grade-point average with three achieving a perfect 4.00 GPA.  The 11 members of the Capital One Academic All-America Division III softball first team maintain an average G.P.A of 3.92.

Majoring in Nursing, Smith carried a 3.93 GPA through the fall of 2014 and is a member of  the National Society of Leadership and Success here at Piedmont as well.  In addition to her two 1st Team All-Conference honors, Smith has also already twice been honored as a USA South Academic All-Conference selection and will likely earn a third such distinction when the league releases its 2014-15 listing in the coming weeks. 

"I couldn't be happier for Abby to receive this honor as she chases her academic dream of becoming a nurse while also serving as a model for our younger players on the field as well," said Head Coach Terry Martin of his junior infielder. "Abby has been so solid in the classroom balancing her workload as a student while also demonstrating a work ethic on the field indicative of exactly what this award represents.  We greatly look forward to seeing what she can continue to do with our program and also after she leaves us with her degree."  

Spending her time as a staple of the Piedmont infield this season for Head Coach Terry Martin, Smith put up incredible numbers in 2015 ranking nationally in eight statistical categories highlighted by her five triples which placed her 29th in all of NCAA Division III.  Smith's .442 batting average led the Lady Lions this season as the youngster was the only Piedmont slugger to hit above .400 on the season ranking 6th in the USA South in batting average.  

Despite her individual success, Smith pointed back towards those around her as the reason for her recognition, saying: "This award is among the greatest I have ever received especially because of what it represents. I can't thank Coach Martin, Coach Hull, Coach Lowe, my teammates and professors enough for the support and encouragement they have given me over my past three years here at Piedmont!"

In her first three seasons with the Lady Lions, Smith has helped Piedmont to two USA South Regular Season Championships, the league's Championship Tournament crown in 2014, and a pair of NCAA National Tournament showings as well with Piedmont finishing as a Regional Finalist on both occasions.  

In the 2014 NCAA Regional at Emory, Smith helped Piedmont to two wins over ranked competition and earned an All-Tournament spot hitting .385 (5-for-13) with four RBI, six runs scored, a double, two stolen bases, and a pair of home runs including a three-run homer against regional host Emory University.

To be eligible for Capital One Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. In addition, nominated student-athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's matches at their respective positions.

Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports. For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com.