SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Appalachian State University placed 28 students on the Soutehrn Conference all-academic team, the league office announced on Wednesday. The Mountaineers had the second-most athletes represented on the prestigious team, behind only Western Carolina. To be honored, an athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.2 or higher cumulative GPA and must compete in at least half of their team’s competition for the season.

Women’s outdoor track and field led the way with five members while five teams - baseball, men’s outdoor track and field, softball, women’s golf and women’s tennis - each placed four on the squad. Men’s tennis was represented by three players.

Baseball’s David Towarnicky was one of just three student-athletes of the 243 honored who holds a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average.

Among the Mountaineer teams, the men’s outdoor track and field honorees - Matt Boruff, Mark Maddox, Josh Houser and Blair Teal - averaged the highest grade point average with a 3.66. Three of the four were also all-SoCon performers at the Outdoor Championship meet, which the team won.

Around the league, women’s outdoor track and field teams placed the most student-athletes on the academic team with 62, while 37 baseball players and 36 men’s outdoor track and field athletes were honored.

ASU had already placed a total of 40 athletes on the fall and winter teams, bringing the total for the 2007-08 academic year to 68.

A complete list of the SoCon spring all-academic team can be found at SoConSports.com.

Appalachian’s

Honorees

Baseball

Adam Beasley, Sr., Hendersonville, N.C., Recreation Management

Andrew Franco, Sr., Niceville, Fla., Finance and Banking

Isaac Harrow, Jr., Hickory, N.C., Business

David Towarnicky, Jr., New Bern, N.C., Finance and Banking/Risk and Insurance

Women’s Golf

Mary Kate Bowman, Sr., Winston-Salem, N.C., Music Education

Emily Cheves, So., Apex, N.C., Psychology

Brooke DeHart, So., Morganton, N.C., Communication/Electronic Media and Broadcasting

Jordan Kreuter, So., Matthews, N.C., Finance and Banking

Softball

Ashley Gaston, Jr., Roswell, Ga., Physical Education

Brittany Gaston, Jr., Roswell, Ga., Veterinary Medicine

Yancy Moose, Jr., Hamptonville, N.C., Special Education

Natalie Willis, Sr., Cherryville, N.C., Secondary Education

Women’s Tennis

Anja Gugger, Sr., Cary, N.C., Communication and Advertising

Lindsay King, Jr., Charlotte, N.C., Advertising

Caroline Mauch, So., Durham, N.C., Psychology

Monica Tomas, Jr., Valado de Frades, Portugal, Music Performance

Men’s Tennis

Ryan Brookshaw, Sr., Pretoria, South Africa, Mathematics

David Doverspike, So., Duluth, Ga., Business

Bobby Lake, Jr., Boone, N.C., Undeclared

Women’s Outdoor Track

Anna Baker, Sr., Hatboro, Pa., Health Education

Kaitlyn Heeke, Sr., Hickory, N.C., Accounting

Megan Irwin, Sr., Chattanooga, Tenn., Exercise Science

Kala Robertson, Jr., Dobson, N.C., Criminal Justice

Lily Tallent, Sr., Cherryville, N.C., Physical Education

Men’s Outdoor Track

Matt Boruff, So., Raleigh, N.C., Business

Josh Houser, So., Alpharetta, Ga., Marketing

Mark Maddox, Sr., Asheville, N.C., Exercise Science

Blair Teal, Sr., Gastonia, N.C., Risk and Insurance