HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M Athletics continues to make history as senior defender
Arielle Fortune (Chattanooga, Tenn.) has become the first women's soccer player to be named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday, November 11.
Fortune's selection continues a historic run for the Department with her not only being the first such honoree for the women's soccer program but also the fourth Academic All-District selection for the Bulldogs since this past Spring. She joins women's basketball's Dariauna Lewis (Omaha, Neb.), football's Marcus Cushine (Palm Beach, Fla.) and men's tennis' Fermin Ruiz Crespo (Mollina, Spain).
Prior to those three record setting selections Alabama A&M had not had an honoree in the previous 29 years. The first three selections were football's Tim McCannelly (1979-80) and Tracy Kendall (1989-90 and 1990-91), both of whom did so at the Division II level. All six previous Academic All-District Selections have gone on to earn Academic All-America honors.
Selected from District 4, which covers all Division I programs from Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, she joins the likes of Alabama, South Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, Auburn and South Alabama. Additionally, she is only one of two individuals not from a Southeastern Conference or Atlantic Coast Conference school named to this year's team.
On top of that, Fortune is the only individual to be named from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) among the 601 total selections from NCAA Division I, II, III Men's and Women's Soccer Academic All-District Teams.
Taking care of business in the classroom with a sterling 4.0 in Biology, Fortune helped the Bulldogs become regular season Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Co-Champions. Her team finished with a 9-7-1 overall record and 8-1-0 conference mark that helped produce ten games of one goal or less, including a program record nine shutouts.
From there they would advance to the SWAC Tournament and win their quarterfinal game to make it to the semifinals for the first time since November 7, 2008. A key component to that success, she played in 14 games, starting five, for the Bulldogs and logging a total of 396 minutes.
Additionally, Fortune has earned her place on both the SWAC Commissioners Honor Roll three times and Alabama A&M Athletic Directors Honor Roll four times over the course of her career.
"Arielle has continually been a beacon of light to our soccer family," said head coach
Emanuel Stephens. "Her dedication in the classroom and on the field is such a positive representation of our team."
The first women's soccer player to earn All-District honors,
Arielle Fortune is now eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors which will be announced on Friday, December 10.
ABOUT THE COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA PROGRAM
The 2021-22 CoSIDA Academic All-District Women's Soccer, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, have been released to recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.
To be eligible for Academic All-District and All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
2021-22 CoSIDA Academic All-District Women's Soccer Teams (District 4)
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| GK |
Heather Hinz |
South Carolina |
Jr. |
3.69 |
Sport and Entertainment Management |
| D |
Megan Bornkamp |
Clemson |
So. |
3.92 |
Management |
| D |
Gabby Carle |
Florida State |
Sr. |
4.0 |
Exercise Physiology |
| D |
M.E. Craven |
Auburn |
Gr. |
3.81 |
Psychology (UG) |
| D |
Sarah Eskew |
South Carolina |
Gr. |
4.0 |
Public Health (UG) |
| D |
Arielle Fortune |
Alabama A&M |
Sr. |
4.0 |
Biology |
| D |
Jyllissa Harris |
South Carolina |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Early Childhood Education |
| D |
Bella Scaturro |
Alabama |
Jr. |
4.0 |
Finance |
| D |
Hailey Whitaker |
Auburn |
Sr. |
3.88 |
Integrative Biology |
| M |
Lauren Chang |
South Carolina |
Gr. |
3.93 |
Political Science (UG) |
| M |
Samantha Chang |
South Carolina |
Sr. |
3.80 |
Social Work |
| M |
Anna Haddock |
Auburn |
So. |
4.0 |
Pre-Business |
| M |
Gracie Wilson |
South Alabama |
Jr. |
4.0 |
Psychology |
| F |
Catherine Barry |
South Carolina |
So. |
3.86 |
Chemistry |
| F |
Ryan Gareis |
South Carolina |
Gr. |
3.97 |
Advertising (UG) |
| F |
Kristina Lynch |
Florida State |
Gr. |
4.0 |
Biology (UG) |
Alabama A&M History of Academic All-District Selections (7 Selections/6 Individuals)
2021-22 – Arielle Fortune (Women's Soccer)*
2020-21 – Fermin Ruiz Crespo (At-Large – Men's Tennis)&
2020-21 – Marcus Cushine (Football - DL)@
2020-21 – Dariauna Lewis (Women's Basketball)&
1990-91 – Tracy Kendall (Football - QB)%
1989-90 – Tracy Kendall (Football – QB)%
1979-80 – Tim McCannelly (Football - C)*
%First-Team Academic All-America (only individual to accomplish in program history)
@Second-Team Academic All-America
&Third-Team Academic All-America
*First Academic All-America in Program History
