Dec. 15, 2011

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference announced today its Academic All-Conference team for the 2011 fall season with 297 student-athletes earning recognition, with 25 from Western Carolina University.

Seventeen student-athletes have maintained perfect 4.0 cumulative GPAs, including Western Carolina's Morgan Turner along with The Citadel's Shanna Couch and John Synovec, Elon's Katelyn O'Dunne, Georgia Southern's Monica Belissimo and Adrian Mora, UNCG's Peyton Ford, Preston Ford, and Ashley Schnell, Chattanooga's Chris Berry, Morgan Buchanan, Tara Gietema, Taylor Mangrum, Christina Teter and Sarah White-Woerner, , and Wofford's Katie Kessler and Rachel Woodlee.

The list includes women's soccer player Samantha Hodge, who was named to the Capitol One District III All-Academic First Team with a 3.96 GPA in Mathematics.

Fall Academic All-Conference

Dan Polaski Western Carolina R-Fr. Agawam, Mass. Football 3.78 Biology

Wesley Cook Western Carolina So. Hendersonville, N.C. Football 3.63 Entrepreneurship

Ricky Schwarz Western Carolina Sr. Ormond Beach, Fla. Football 3.62 Entrepreneurship

Rory Pederson Western Carolina Jr. Monroe, N.C. Football 3.50 Sport Management

Marcus Stokes Western Carolina So. Roswell, Ga. Football 3.50 Athletic Training

Rock Williams Western Carolina Jr. Howell, Mich. Football 3.50 Finance

Walt Woolwine Western Carolina Sr. Ashland, Kansas Football 3.50 Psychology

Brett Allen Western Carolina Sr. Raleigh, N.C. Football 3.46 Criminal Justice

Chase Fisher Western Carolina Jr. Concord, N.C. Men's Cross Country 3.47 Health/Physical Education

Garrett West Western Carolina Jr. Concord, N.C. Men's Cross Country 3.46 Biology

Brittany Lysik Western Carolina Sr. Cary, N.C. Volleyball 3.97 Sport Management

Carrie Minogue Western Carolina Sr. Louisville, Ky. Volleyball 3.95 Entrepreneurship

Abby Scroggins Western Carolina Jr. Gaston, Ind. Volleyball 3.40 Political Science

Morgan Turner Western Carolina Jr. Lincolnton, N.C. Women's Cross Country 4.00 Physical Education

Olivia Jacobs Western Carolina Sr. Kannapolis, N.C. Women's Cross Country 3.98 Nutrition/Dietetics

Kaylan Lance Western Carolina So. Brevard, N.C. Women's Cross Country 3.64 Recreational Therapy

Hayley Tomlinson Western Carolina So. Orlando, Fla. Women's Cross Country 3.51 Pre-Business

Lindsay Carter Western Carolina Jr. Apex, N.C. Women's Soccer 3.98 Biology

Samantha Hodge Western Carolina Jr. Louisville, N.C. Women's Soccer 3.96 Mathematics

Emily Lynn Western Carolina Sr. North Royalton, Ohio Women's Soccer 3.90 Construction Management

Kayla Beauduy Western Carolina Jr. Jackson, N.J. Women's Soccer 3.86 English

Katie Salmons Western Carolina Jr. Richmond, Va. Women's Soccer 3.78 Psychology

Kayla Sedgley Western Carolina So. North Scituate, R.I. Women's Soccer 3.74 Recreational Therapy

Laura Greb Western Carolina Jr. Robbinsville, N.J. Women's Soccer 3.69 Health/Physical Education