COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Just days before the Tennessee Tech soccer
team heads to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, two Tech
players were recognized for their outstanding performances on the
field and in the classroom. Sophomores Kathryn Lally and Taren
Brown made the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District
list.
Lally made the District IV second-team, and Brown was named
third-team. The district includes all Division I universities in
Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.
"These girls epitomize what it means to be a student-athlete,"
coach Becky Fletcher said. "They're very hard workers."
A total of 35 student-athletes in the district were acknowledged,
combining their achievement in the classroom and on the field.
"Taren is a leader, she's a team captain, and she leads by example
off the field, too. This award is proof of that," assistant coach
Chris Walker said. "Kathryn is a hard worker, whether it's in
soccer or academics."
Lally, a business major, and Brown, a nursing major, are roommates
at Tech, and both work hard on and off the field.
"Taren's goal is to become a nurse, and she's on the path to doing
just that," Fletcher said.
This is the first time Tech has had two soccer players on the list
in the same year. Three other Tech soccer players have earned the
honor in their careers. Julie Tryon in 2001, Alexis Boyd in 2002
and 2003, and Michelle Brigano in 2005. The Golden Eagles have now
placed 93 student-athletes on the list since 1985.