Connor Lockridge (left) and Vincent Thomas (right) of the Piedmont men’s soccer team as well as Kelsey Schaffernoth (center) of the Lady Lions all earned Capital One Academic All-District status with the release of the list by CoSIDA earlier this week.
Towson, MD – With the release of the 2014 Capital One Academic All-District teams earlier this week, three Piedmont College soccer players were honored by taking spots on the awards listing marking the most ever from Piedmont soccer to earn the accolades at the same time. Men’s soccer players Connor Lockridge and Vincent Thomas along with Lady Lion soccer player Kelsey Schaffernoth were honored as Capital One Academic All-District honorees in CoSIDA’s District V which includes 11 states across the Southeast.
Thomas and Lockridge become the first Piedmont men’s soccer players to be honored in the Capital One Academic All-American program taking All-District status in 2014. Both of the Lions will now be eligible for Capital One Academic All-American selection in the coming weeks as CoSIDA continues the program.
Now in his senior year, Thomas has had his best statistical season yet with 24 total points, a mark that puts him in a tie for 2nd in the USA South Athletic Conference. Better known as “Slim” to his Lions teammates, Thomas is also in the top five in the league in both goals (9) and assists (6) as he is just one helper shy of the top spot in the league in that category.
A two-time USA South Academic All-Conference honoree, Thomas is a senior majoring in International Studies and maintains a 3.61 GPA. The Blairsville native has scored seven game-winning goals for the Lions over the last two seasons combined.
Lockridge has played in multiple spots this season for Head Coach Jimmy Stephens having played in all 18 games in 2014 making 16 starts along the way. Playing more than 1,200 minutes, the junior helped Piedmont to its best finish in the USA South since joining as a member in 2012 with four wins in league play this season.
Recognized on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll multiple semesters, Lockridge was a 2013 USA South Academic All-Conference honoree and is majoring in Chemistry maintaining a 3.82 GPA. Lockridge has also been a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as well.
As the #7 seed in the upcoming USA South Championship Tournament, Piedmont will take on the 2nd seeded Scots of Covenant College this Saturday, November 1 at 2:30 pm in Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
Schaffernoth becomes the third Capital One Academic All-District award winner from the Piedmont women’s soccer program since 2011 and as a result will move to try and become the Lady Lions’ third Capital One Academic All-American, a listing that will be announced on Friday, November 21 for both men’s and women’s soccer in Division III.
As a senior centerback for the Lady Lion defense, Schaffernoth has been key to Piedmont’s ability to shut down opposing offenses despite facing some of the more potent attacks in the South Region over the 2014 campaign. So far, the Lady Lions have allowed 12 goals for a goals against average of 0.62, both of which are leading the USA South in those categories.
Majoring in Secondary Education for English, Schaffernoth was a 2013 1st Team USA South All-Conference selection and maintains a 3.91 GPA overall. Also a member of the Torch Honor Society, Piedmont’s oldest academic honor society, Schaffernoth has served as an English and writing tutor in Piedmont’s Learning Center.
The women’s soccer team is the #2 seed in the upcoming USA South tourney and will play host to #7 seed NC Wesleyan on Saturday, November 1 with kickoff set for 2:30 pm at Walker Athletic Complex. Coverage of the contest will air live on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network with coverage beginning 15 minutes prior to kickoff.
Thomas, Lockridge, and Schaffernoth were selected for this year’s Capital One Academic All-District honors through voting by CoSIDA members in District V, which encompasses Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale), have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. In addition, nominated student-athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s matches at their respective positions.
