Marshall University Athletics
Soccer's Kelly Kennedy Named Verizon Academic All-American
11/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Soccer's Kelly Kennedy Named Verizon Academic All-American
11/26/2002
Kelly Kennedy is only the sixth athlete in Marshall history to earn Academic All-American honors. |
STAMFORD, Conn.- Marshall?s Kelly Kennedy has been named a Verizon Academic All-American. Kennedy, a native of Ft. Wright, Ky., is the first women?s soccer player and only the sixth athlete in Marshall?s history to receive this honor.
The third team honoree, has maintained a perfect 4.00 GPA throughout her first three years at MU. The 5-5 defender was a four year starter for the Herd, playing in 70 matches in her career. Kennedy, a senior health management major, also has received numerous academic accolades, including the Mid-American Conference Commissioner?s Award, being named second team academic all-district last season and first team this season. She is also one of only two Mid-American Conference athletes to make the Academic All-American team this season.
Kennedy joins an exclusive list of Marshall athletes that have received Academic All-American honors. Basketball standout J.R. VanHoose was the last MU athlete to be named to the list. Other Marshall athletes that have earned the honor include basketball?s Mike D?Antoni (1972 & 1973), former volleyball star Jaki Copeland (1985), former football standout Chad Pennington (1999 & 1998), and former women?s basketball star Kristina Behnfeldt (1998 & 1999).
This year marks the 51th anniversary of the Verizon Academic All-America program, which was founded by CoSIDA in 1952 to recognize collegiate student-athletes for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and on the playing field. Over the past 50 years, the Verizon Academic All-America program has grown into one of the most recognized and prestigious collegiate scholar-athlete awards nationwide, honoring student-athletes from all NCAA championship sports.
The Verizon Academic All-America Teams are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Sports information directors nominate eligible athletes from their schools who are named to district teams prior to being voted upon the national level.
