The College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA) and Verizon have announced their 2003 Verizon Academic All-America softball and baseball teams.

Selected by a vote of the 1,800-member CoSIDA, the teams include student-athletes who are varsity starters or key reserves and who have maintained a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.200 (4.000 scale). Sports information directors nominate eligible athletes from their schools who are named to district teams before being voted upon at the national level.

Under an agreement with CoSIDA, Verizon has been the exclusive sponsor of the Academic All-America program since 1985. The recognition program was founded by CoSIDA in 1952 to honor collegiate student-athletes for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and on the playing field.

Softball

Brandi Cross from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, was named Team Member of the Year in the university division. The first baseman is one of three Massachusetts players named to the national team. Cross set a school record with 11 home runs this year and led her team to its 16th Atlantic 10 Conference title.The school's female scholar-athlete of the year also made the all-Atlantic 10 first team.

Teammate Kaila Holtz also also earned first-team Verizon honors. She was the Atlantic 10 pitcher of the year for a second consecutive year with an earned-run average among the nation's best.

The Atlantic 10 and Big Ten Conferences each placed four players to the Verizon softball team.

In the college division, Jenny Esker from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, was named as Team Member of the Year. Esker, a two-time Verizon team member, was the first Cougar player to post more than 10 home runs and 30 stolen bases in a season.

The complete 2003 Verizon Academic All-America Softball Team follows.

University division

First team

Pitchers -- Lauren Bay, Oklahoma State, international business; Kaila Holtz, Massachusetts, exercise science.

Catcher -- Christine Stephens, New Mexico State, social work/ciminal science.

Infielders -- Brandi Cross, Massachusetts, psychology; Lea Dorto, Kent State, computer information systems; Kristin Johnson, Iowa, communication studies; Katie Shea, Ball State, exercise science.

Outfielders -- Heather Brousseau, Hofstra, accounting; Sandy Lewis, Michigan State, human biology; Sarah Martz, DePaul, secondary education/mathematics.

Designated player -- Jennifer Moran, UNC-Greensboro, bology.

Second team

Pitchers -- Lindsay Chouinard, DePaul, finance; Amy Harre, Southern Illinois, biology.

Catcher -- Lyndsey Angus, Kentucky, kinesiology.

Infielders -- Kara Brun, Arizona State, communications; Katie Evans, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, secondary education; Kate Jaspers, Mississippi State, psychology; LeeAnne Mongar, Tennessee Tech, health and physical science.

Outfielders -- Laura Beckert, Yale, molecular, cellular and developmental biology; Toni Orr, Morehead State, elementary education; Anna Perey, Massachusetts, exercise science.

Designated player -- Brandi McGuire, Tulsa, accounting.

Third team

Pitchers -- Brandi Adams, Saint Joseph's (Indiana), elementary education; Cat Osterman, Texas, education.

Catcher -- Adriana Garcia, Arizona State, elementary education.

Infielders -- Kim Eiben, Arkansas, criminology; Andrea Hillsey, Purdue, movement and sport science; Margaret Schick, Michigan State, human biology; Kim Wilmoth, Baylor, accounting/business.

Outfielders -- Erin Brooks, Fordham, business information systems; Kris Burdine, Ball State, marketing; Kristen Zaleski, Southwest Texas State, art.

College division

First team

Pitchers -- Marci Mitchell, Carson-Newman, mathematics; Britni Buford, Truman, exercise science.

Catcher -- Jessica Brewer, William Penn (NAIA), elementary education.

Infielders -- Emily Conover, Bethel (Minnesota), biochemistry; KD Smith, Barry, elementary education; Liz Swary, Washington (Missouri), economics; Lizbeth Oppenheimer, Oneonta State, biology.

Outfielders -- Jenny Esker, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, physics; Melissa Roberts, Emory, neuroscience and behavioral biology; Stephanie Cameron, Thomas More, business.

Designated player --Jennifer Potts, Longwood, biology.

Second team

Pitchers -- Susan Churchwell, UC Davis, economics; Jennifer Mackson, Grand Valley State, education.

Catcher -- Mary Nicol, Emory, environmental studies/political science.

Infielders -- Julie Gentner, Courtland State, sport management; Lisa Gentilella, Salisbury, communication arts; Christina Diller, Gustavus Adolphus, biology/pre-med; Chyanne Kleve, Upper Iowa, criminology.

Outfielders -- Jessica Feerrar, Lycoming, biology; Megan Koeller, Wisconsin-Whitewater, elementary education; Jana Allison, Missouri Southern, pre-med.

Designated player --Katie Waldo, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, psychology.

Pitchers -- Julianne Lovejoy, C.W. Post, computer art; Krystal Poulin, Southern Arkansas, biological science.

Catcher -- Joy Long, Delta State, physical education.

Infielders -- Rosey Aley, Salisbury, biology; Laura Heath, Trinity (Connecticut), biology; Shannon Moore, St. Thomas (Minnesota), economics; Kerri Jonas, Grand Valley State, health science.

Outfielders -- Molly Gale, Gettysburg, history; Lyndsey Knight, Southern Arkansas, accounting; Megan Russell, Albion, economics/management.

Designated player -- Amy Behlen, Texas Lutheran, kinesiology.

Baseball

The Team Member of the Year in the university division is a repeat selection. Jeff Leise, an outfielder for University of Nebraska, Lincoln, earned the honor for the second straight year after leading the Cornhuskers to their second Big 12 Conference title in the past three years.

Named as Nebraska's male student-athlete of the year, Leise ranks among Nebraska's career leaders in triples, hits, runs scored and stolen bases. After being selected by the Anaheim Angels in the seventh round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft June 4, Leise turned down an offer by the Angels to return to Nebraska for his senior year.

Leise's teammate, Aaron Marsden, also was named to the Verizon first team. A pitcher, Marsden ranks second in the Big 12 in strikeouts and third in earned-run average.

Rice University, which earned a top seed in the 2003 Division I Baseball Championship, had three players selected.

In the college division, senior Kyle Foster of Emory University was named Team Member of the Year. A three-time Verizon team member, Foster holds school career records in hits, doubles, triples and total bases. Batting .481 this season, Foster led the Eagles to the NCAA Division III finals for the second time in four years.

The college division first team also included two athletes who have earned perfect grade point averages during their collegiate career -- University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, pitcher Brady Endl and Clarkson University infielder Matt Macaulay.

The complete 2003 Verizon Academic All-America Baseball Team follows.

University division

First team

Pitchers -- Aaron Marsden, Nebraska, business administration; Jon Stallsmith, Furman, Spanish/history.

Catcher -- Ryan Schmidt, Columbia, biology.

Infielders -- Ryan Bear, Central Florida, management; Ross Bennett, Baylor, biology/pre-dental; Erick Streelman, Nevada, secondary education; Dustin Young, New Mexico, general management.

Outfielders -- Jordan Foster, Lamar, accounting; Jeff Leise, Nebraska, psychology; Josh Phifer, Air Force, operations research.

Designated hitter -- Sean Wilson, Duquesne, elementary education.

Second team

Pitchers -- Michael Srp, Texas-San Antonio, finance/construction management; Wade Townsend, Rice, history/economics/managerial studies.

Catcher -- Tim Marks, Butler, biology.

Infielders -- James Burt, Miami (Florida), finance; Spencer Harris, Virginia Tech, nutrition, foods and exercise; Billy Hess, Columbia, psychology; Steve Sollmann, Notre Dame, marketing.

Outfielders -- Beau Hearod, Alabama, finance; Mark Johnson, Wichita State, mechanical engineering; Troy Shelby, Western Illinois, agriculture.

Designated hitter -- Bryan Erstad, Wichita State, business administration.

Third team

Pitchers -- J.P. Gagne, Notre Dame, finance; Thomas Pauly Princeton, chemical engineering.

Catcher -- Jeff Blackinton, Rice, biochemistry.

Infielders -- Brooks Colvin, Southwest Missouri State, finance; Mike DeRenzo, Penn State, computer engineering; James Nowicki, Ball State, pre-med; Vincent Sinisi, Rice, kinesiology.

Outfielders -- Tom Beechem, Dayton, mechanical engineering; Clint King, Southern Mississippi, accounting; Josh McCurdy, Niagara, computer science.

Designated hitter -- Mitch Walk, William and Mary, business/finance.

College division

First team

Pitchers -- Brady Endl, Wisconsin-Whitewater, business/economics; Joe Neal, Central Oklahoma, accounting.

Catcher -- Eric Cummins, Missouri-Rolla, engineering management.

Infielders -- Eric Bell, George Fox, business marketing; Kevin Culp, Westminster (Pennsylvania), mathematics; Bryce Gardiner, Western Oregon, computer science; Matt Macaulay, Clarkson, accounting.

Outfielders -- Jason Cloar, Rollins, political science; Kyle Foster, Emory, chemistry/computer science; Matt Moore, Rose-Hulman, chemical engineering.

Designated hitter -- Bramer Owens, McMurry, marketing/finance.

Second team

Pitchers -- Peter Dean, Washington and Lee, pre-med; Brandon Roznovsky, St. Mary's (Texas), accounting.

Catcher -- Jeremy Knicely, Longwood, business administration.

Infielders -- Eric Cirella, Salve Regina, business administration; Luke Klinker, Nebraska Wesleyan, English/history; Brendan Rokke, Southwest State, psychology; Josh Stratman, Emporia State, communications.

Outfielders -- Ryan Alexander, Muskingum, early childhood education; Ashley Farr, South Carolina-Aiken, communications; Joshua Sargent, George Fox, accounting/finance.

Designated hitter -- Rob Daggett, Elmhurst, finance/economics.

Third team

Pitchers -- Evan Weinstein, Longwood, business administration; Anthony Zambotti, Indiana (Pennsylvania), computer science.

Catcher -- Bob Ritter, Pittsburgh-Johnstown, mechanical engineering technology.

Infielders -- Kyle Butt, Winona State, marketing/business administration; Mike Calano, Tusculum, undeclared; Tom Carroll, St. Thomas, business; Ryan Joy, Pacific (Oregon), computer science; David Yount, Wingate, sports management.

Outfielders -- Jason Longo, New York Institute of Technology, business; Mike Milstead, Cal State Dominguez Hills, physical education; Noah Welte, Thomas More, history.

Designated hitter -- Jesse Gregory, Kenyon, physics/economics.