Thursday, May 9, 2002

MILLER AND RENTSCHLER NAMED TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS

BETHLEHEM, PA --- Senior outfielder Summer Miller (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional HS) and senior second baseman Laurie Rentschler (Slatington, PA/Northern Lehigh HS) have been named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-District II College Division Softball Teams selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Miller was a first team selection while Rentschler was a second team honoree.

By making the All-District First Team, Miller is now forwarded onto the national ballot to try for Verizon Academic All-American® accolades, which will be announced on Thursday, June 6th.

To be eligible for Verizon Academic All-America® honors, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 grade-point average, be a sophomore, junior or senior and be a starter or significant reserve. The College Division is made up of all the NCAA Division II and III Schools in the nation as well as all NAIA schools. Student-athletes from NCAA Division I schools are named to the University Division Teams. District II is made up of schools from Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

This year marks the 50th year of the Academic All-America program, as the inaugural team was announced on December 6, 1952. Since that time, more than 12,000 students have been named Academic All-America team members at colleges and universities at all levels for every recognized NCAA sport. The 22 members of the original team, which included football players only, will be honored with a series of events throughout the current academic year. The program's popularity resulted in a significant expansion for the current academic year, as 816 student-athletes --- a 19 percent increase over the previous highest number -- will be selected to 12 different Academic All-America teams during the 2001-02 academic season.

Miller has helped the Greyhounds to a 34-6 record this season, a school record for victories.  Moravian has also won its third straight Commonwealth Conference title and will be competing in the NCAA Division III East Regional for the fifth straight year this weekend. Miller has played in 28 games this season, starting 26, and she missed two weeks with an injury. She is hitting .262 with 17 hits, ten RBIs, six runs scored and two doubles. Miller picked up her 100th career hit earlier this season and ranks in the top 15 in several offensive categories for her career.

Rentschler is hitting .337 with 28 hits, 19 runs scored, 12 RBIs and four doubles. She is a four-year starter for the Greyhounds and holds the school record for games played in a career with 165. Rentschler, who was a Commonwealth Conference Second Team All-Star this season, is ranked in the top ten of most offensive categories in the Moravian record books and she is second in career assists and the top second baseman in school history. She also had her 100th career hit this season.

The duo, along with five other seniors, have led Moravian to a record of 121-46 over the last four years with three Commonwealth Conference Championships and four trips to the NCAA Tournament.