Four SAC Softball Players Named To Academic All-Region Team

BRISTOL, Conn. -- Four softball players from the South Atlantic Conference have been named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball team (college division), selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).

Mars Hill's Kristina Osborn, the SAC Scholar-Athlete for softball, and Wingate's Hallie Pettigrew were named to the first team. Mars Hill's Paige Brantley and Lenoir-Rhyne's Leah Krohn were named to the second team.

Pettigrew and Osborn will advance to the national ballot.

Hallie Pettigrew

Kristina Osborn

Paige Brantley

Leah Krohn

The District III College Division consists of all-non NCAA Division I colleges and universities in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Virginia. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.2 cumulative grade point average. In addition, the student-athlete must be a starter or a significant reserve on her team.

Hallie Pettigrew

Wingate University junior third baseman Hallie Pettigrew (Uniontown, Ohio / Lake High School) earns ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III honors for the first time in her career.

The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America selected Pettigrew for this prestigious honor. Twenty-four student-athletes were named to either the first or second ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III softball teams.

Pettigrew led the Bulldogs with a .387 batting average in 2008. She started 48 of 48 games as Wingate compiled a 31-17 overall record. Pettigrew also led the Bulldogs in hits (60), runs (31), sacrifice hits (15), stolen bases (17) and multi-hit games (19). In South Atlantic Conference games, she hit a team-best .447 this season.

A three-time All-SAC choice, Pettigrew was the 2006 SAC Freshman of the Year. During her first season, Pettigrew and the Bulldogs compiled a 47-11 overall record. Wingate won the Food Lion SAC tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division II play-offs. Pettigrew was second on the 2006 team with her .409 batting average. She was named to the Food Lion SAC All-Tournament team and the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-South Atlantic Region second team in 2006.

In the classroom, Pettigrew holds a 3.69 GPA. She is a Mathematics and Education major. On campus, she is a three-year member of Wingate's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition, she is a faithful member of Wingate's Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) chapter.

Pettigrew is a two-year peer mentor, helping guide Wingate freshman through the University's orientation process. As a peer mentor, she also helps lead an introductory class for freshman known as Wingate 101. During the summer of 2006, Pettigrew helped coach a junior varsity girls' basketball team in a summer league in her hometown of Uniontown, Ohio.

"Hallie Pettigrew is an excellent example of a student-athlete," Wingate head coach Michelle Caddigan says. "She approaches all of her tasks, both academic as well as extra-curricular, in a mature and responsible manner. Hallie is a leader on the softball field and within the Wingate campus community. She is well respected by her peers, coaching staff and faculty."

Paige Brantley, Kristina Osborn

Paige Brantley and Kristina Osborn have been chosen to the the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III Softball Team. Osborn was a first team selection and moves on to the national ballot. Brantley made the second team.

Osborn, a senior catcher from Birmingham, AL, was the SAC Scholar Athlete and a first team All-SAC selection. She made the SAC All-Tournament team as the Lions made it to the championship game. Osborn recently was named as a second team All-Region selection.

Brantley, a sophomore pitcher hails from Raleigh, NC. Brantley helped the Lions to the most wins in school history as MHC ended the 2008 campaign, 39-16. Brantley was 12-4 in pitching decisions this season.

Leah Krohn

Lenoir-Rhyne senior Leah Krohn has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III College Division Second Team for softball. The Academic All-American Teams are selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).

Krohn, a first baseman from Taylorsville, N.C., and a graduate of Alexander Central High School, finished the 2008 season with a .290 batting average to go along with eight home runs and 39 runs batted in.

Krohn, a two-time All-South Atlantic Conference First-Team selection (2007-08) and a 2007 all-region pick, is the school's all-time leader in home runs (33).

Krohn has a 3.72 grade point average and is majoring in religious studies and family development.

Krohn has helped lead L-R to three consecutive South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Titles and three straight berths in the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional Tournament.

The Bears just finished the 2008 campaign with a 42-14 record.

2008 ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT III
SOFTBALL TEAMS (COLLEGE DIVISION, AS SELECTED BY CoSIDA)

FIRST TEAM
C-Catherine Beuerle, Shenandoah (Va.)
C-Kristina Osborn, Mars Hill
INF-Alex Acosta, Valdosta State (Ga.)
INF-Meghan Osborne, Lynn (Fla.)
INF-Hallie Pettigrew, Wingate
INF-Lindsay Swanson, Georgia College & State
OF-Brittany Allsop, Lynchburg (Va.)
OF-Shyla Rider, Barry (Fla.)
OF-Mandy Nixon, Virginia Wesleyan
P-Katie Haskins, Shenandoah (Va.)
P-Mandy Chandler, Georgia College & State
DP-Jenny Jackson, Mount Olive

SECOND TEAM
INF-Kelly Hale, Guilford
INF-Lauren Starcher, Rollins (Fla.)
INF-Leah Krohn, Lenoir-Rhyne
INF-Sarah Frazier, Virginia-Wise
INF-Kristen Curette, Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.)
INF-Cristina Morgado, Savannah College of Art & Design (Ga.)
INF-Ally Maddox, Saint Leo (Fla.)
OF-Cristina DeTagle, Barry (Fla.)
OF-Robin Williams, Valdosta State (Ga.)
OF-Rebekah Kelly, Methodist
P-Paige Brantley, Mars Hill
P-Dacia Ijames, Pfeiffer