TOWSON, Md. - Illinois State senior midfielder Bethany Brown has been named to the CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-America Third Team in a release issued by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Brown is the first Illinois State soccer player to earn Academic All-America honors since 2003.
"With so many Division I women's soccer programs throughout the country, to be in this elite group is a tremendous accomplishment," head coach Drew Roff said. "Bethany has a great work ethic and has done everything she can to be a model student-athlete and is very deserving of this honor. She has achieved so much, both on and off the field, and has set the bar for future student-athletes here at Illinois State.
"Bethany takes pride in both her athletic and academic achievements and by graduating with a 4.0, she is an example of a student-athlete that has taken advantage of every opportunity here at Illinois State," Roff added. "Jane Fulton (Associate Athletics Director/Academics and Life Skills) and her staff over at the athletics study center to a great job and Bethany has taken advantage of the resources they provide at Illinois State."
Brown completed her undergraduate degree in criminal justice with a perfect 4.0 grade point average and appeared in all 18 games for the Redbirds this season. The Vernon Hills, Ill., native contributed to a defense that posted a 1.18 goals against average and recorded four shutouts on the 2010 campaign.
Earlier this season, Brown was awarded the Missouri Valley Conference Good Neighbor Award and was named to the MVC Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete First Team for her contributions both in the classroom and on the field at ISU.
Brown is the 42nd student-athlete in Illinois State history to earn Academic All-America honors. Scott Krapf, a cross country and track and field standout, was the last Redbird to earn Academic All-America accolades with his selection in 2009.
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