Four Ladyjacks Earn Academic Honors
12/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Dec. 16, 2008
FRISCO, Texas - Four Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks were included in the 2008 Southland Conference Soccer All-Academic Teams, as announced Tuesday by league officials. Seniors Amanda Lackey, Jessica Cotton and Amanda Alders were all named to the first team, while junior Megan Cash earned second-team honors.
SFA's four selections tied the Ladyjacks with Southeastern Louisiana for the second-highest number of honorees, and SFA tied McNeese State for the most first-team choices with three.
Cotton and Alders are each making their third appearance on the all-academic squad, and Lackey is a two-time honoree. Cash is on the team for the first time in her first year of eligibility, after transferring to SFA for the 2007 season.
Cotton, a defender from Pearland, Texas, is making her second straight appearance on the first team after earning second-team honors as a sophomore. The interdisciplinary studies major is also a two-time member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District squad. Cotton earned her second consecutive First-Team All-SLC honor this season and is a former All-SLC Tournament selection.
In her career, she has been a part of three of the best defenses in school history. The 2005 unit set school records for goals allowed (14) and shutouts (11). In 2007, she helped lead a squad that allowed the second-fewest goals in program history (23) and posted seven shutouts, a mark that tied with the 2008 total for the fourth-best single-season total in school history. Cotton recorded four goals and three assists in her career.
Alders has been a first-team academic all-conference selection in all three years of her eligibility for the award. The 2005 SLC Freshman of the Year and four-time All-SLC honoree is the school-record-holder in career points (91) and goals (38) and ranks second in career assists (15).
A marketing major from Colleyville, Texas, Alders led the Ladyjacks with 17 points this season. Her six goals tied for tops on the team, and she led the squad with five assists, a personal career-high for assists in a single season.
Lackey is an international business major from Humble, Texas. Earlier this year, she took her second straight First-Team All-SLC award and third consecutive all-conference honor. The first-team all-academic selection is also a second straight for Lackey, who is a former All-SLC Tournament choice.
As a defensive midfielder, she was a part of the same record-setting defensive efforts as Cotton, and also managed to make her presence felt in the front third of the field. Her 26 career points rank 13th in school history, and her 10 career goals are tied for 12th. Lackey is 11th all-time with six career assists. She scored two goals this season.
Cash is making her first appearance on the all-academic squad after twice earning Dean's List honors and making the Spring 2008 President's List at SFA. The communication studies major from Austin, Texas, tied Alders for the team lead in goals with six this season, despite spending the second half of the season playing as a defender. She was an Honorable-Mention All-SLC selection after earning second-team accolades a year ago.
The Ladyjacks posted a 9-7-2 overall record in 2008 and went 6-2-1 in Southland Conference play, finishing tied for second in the league. SFA was bounced from the SLC Tournament when first-round opponent Southeastern Louisiana broke a scoreless tie with a one-goal verdict in penalty kicks.
-- SFA --
