Harris named academic all-district

FAYETTEVILLE – Sophomore Allison Harris of the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback soccer team was named first-team CoSIDA Academic all-District VI on Thursday afternoon.

Harris was one of more than 50 student-athletes placed on the district VI ballot which includes players from the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. To be eligible for the award, prospective students must maintain a 3.20 grade point average, be a sophomore or higher in academic standing and be a significant contributor on the field. Harris holds a perfect 4.0 GPA in psychology and has been a two-year starter for the Lady Razorbacks defense.

“First of all, this is an incredible achievement and I’m very proud of her,” Arkansas head coach Gordon Henderson said. “Being a student-athlete is tough with the amount of hours put in for school and training. For Allison to show the dedication she has in her studies and performance illustrates what a tremendous young lady she is. Allison Harris reflects everything that is positive and right about the NCAA. There is no gleaming pro contract waiting for her only a professional career that is filled with unlimited potential. I am incredibly proud."

This fall, Harris was Arkansas’ leading scorer throughout the early part of the season as she scored her first career goal in the season opener against Southeast Missouri State. For the season, she had one goal and two assists for four points and was a major factor in Arkansas’ defensive scheme that limited opponents to their lowest goal output in more than 10 years.

Harris is one of 11 people placed on the first team as she becomes the fourth Lady Razorback to ever be named to a CoSIDA academic squad and the fourth first-team all-district member. The last Lady Razorback to be named first-team academic all-district was former Lady’Back Julie Williford who not only took first-team all-district but third-team all-America honors in 2003.

Next up for the Snellville, Ga., native is the national ballot which places Harris’ credentials against the other seven district’s first-team honorees to determine the CoSIDA Academic all-America teams. The announcement of that squad is set for Tues., Nov. 23.