WALTHAM, Mass. — Brandeis University women's soccer senior forward Lea McDaniel of Phoenix, Ariz., has been named a first-team Academic All-District selection as named by the College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA). She will now be eligible for Academic All-America honors.
McDaniel is Brandeis's leading scorer this season with 11 goals and three assists for 25 points. She ranks second in the University Athletic Association (UAA) in goals and points, while leading the league with five game-winning goals – tied for 18th-most in Division III. McDaniel is a two-time UAA Player of the Week this season, who tied a school record with four goals and eight points in a game on Sept. 8 against Regis College. For her career, McDaniel has 21 goals and seven assists for 49 points. Nine of her career goals have been game-winners.
Off the pitch, McDaniel is an economics and Health: Science, Society and Policy major with a 3.59 grade-point average. She is a five-time Dean's List student and has been named to the Academic All-UAA team three times.
The Brandeis University women's soccer team (13-2-1, 2-2 UAA) is currently ranked 14th in Division III by D3soccer.com and #17 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. The Judges play a pair of University Athletic Association contests this weekend, meeting Emory University on Friday evening at 5 p.m. and the University of Rochester on Sunday morning at 11 a.m.
CoSIDA, which began its recognition of NCAA scholar athletes in the 1950's, has honored thousands of deserving recipients across all divisions in numerous sports. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a 4.00 scale, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her institution and be nominated by his/her Sports Information Director.