FLORENCE, S.C. – Emily Brandenburg, a senior defender and goalkeeper on the Francis Marion University women’s soccer team, has been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America Team.

A native of Martinez, Ga., Brandenburg has compiled a perfect 4.00 grade point average as a political science major. A third-team selection, she becomes the third Academic All-American in the young history of the women’s soccer program, but the first since FMU moved to NCAA Division I affiliation.

On the playing field, she appeared in all 16 matches this past season for the Patriots and made 10 starts. She played five matches in goal, making four starts, and recorded a 3.25 goals against average with 28 saves. She also played in the field as a defender in 12 matches, including six starting roles.

Her career totals include 44 matches played and a 2.53 GAA (in goal) with 123 saves.

In addition to playing soccer, Brandenburg is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority, and is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Chi Alpha Sigma (national college athlete) honor societies. She has served as head delegate for National Model United Nations China, and is a member of the Student Leadership Advisory Board. She has been involved with FMU’s Campus Outreach, the College Republicans, and the Honors Student Association; served as a University Marshall and an Orientation Leader; and was named Miss Congeniality at the 2007 Miss FMU Pageant. She has been named to both the Peach Belt Conference Presidential and FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic honor rolls each of the last three years.

She completed an internship in the United States Senate during the spring of 2009. A current resident of West Columbia, she was named the 2009 South Carolina Cherry Blossom Princess and represented the state in the 97th-annual national Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington during March. She represented FMU as an honor student ambassador to Germany in March 2007.

Brandenburg is a graduate of Lakeside High School in Augusta, Ga., where she was a first-team All-Area selection on the soccer field.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings. Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

2009 ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-America ®

Women’s Soccer Team (University Division) as selected by CoSIDA

First Team

Pos.   Name                               School                         Dist.     Cl.    Hometown                       GPA    Major

GK      Beth Reed                       U.S. Naval Academy   II         Sr.    Indianapolis, Ind.            3.97    Mechanical Engineering

D         Emily Anderson **            Texas                            VI        Sr.   Austin, Texas                  4.00    Accounting, MPA program

D         Kristi Eveland *                 North Carolina              III         Sr.  Southlake, Texas           3.86    Business Administration

D         Blakely Mattern *              South Carolina              III         Sr.  Simpsonville, S.C.          3.85    Business Adm. & Int. Bus.

D         Jessica Tsao                    Portland                        VIII       Jr.    Portland, Ore.                   3.98    Biology

M         Hailey Beam **                 Charlotte                       III         Sr.  Cornelius, N.C.                 3.80    Finance & Marketing

M         Elizabeth Betterbed *       U.S. Military Academy I           Sr.   Fox Island, Wash.            4.23    Mechanical Engineering

M         Annamarie Hofstetter       Idaho State                   VIII       Sr.  Boise, Idaho                     4.00    Microbiology

M         Jackie Kondratko              Valparaiso                     V         Sr.  Granger, Ind.                     3.95    Mechanical Engineering

F         Theresa Ferraina *           Loyola (Md.) Univ.         II          Gr.  Long Branch, N.J.            4.00    M.B.A. (Finance Undergrad)

F         Danielle Foxhoven            Portland                        VIII         So. Littleton, Col.                    3.75    Business

F         Kelley O'Hara                   Stanford                        VIII           Sr.  Fayetteville, Ga.                3.41    Science, Tech. & Society

Second Team

Pos.   Name                                 School                            Dist.   Cl.   Hometown                        GPA    Major

GK      Ann Gleason                     Iowa State                       VII      Sr.  Stillwater, Minn.                3.97    Chemical Engineering

GK      Ashlyn Harris                    North Carolina                III       Sr.  Satellite Beach, Fla.         3.48    Communication Studies

D         Kristi Andreassen             Northern Arizona            VIII     Jr.    Tempe, Ariz.                     4.00    Exercise Science

D         Danielle Blair                    Alabama-Birmingham    IV      Sr.  Scarborough, Ont.,Canada   4.00    Industrial Dist., Mgt. & Marketing

D         Whitney Engen                 North Carolina                III       Sr.  Rolling Hills Estates, Cal.    3.52    Political Science

D         Rachel Friedman ***        Western Kentucky          IV      Sr.  Swansea, Ill.                       4.00    Exercise Sci./Phys. Therapy

M         Becky Iwanicki                  North Dakota State         VII      Gr.  Calgary, Alberta, Can.      4.00    Biology (Pre-Med)

M         Amanda Pacsiolla            St. John’s (N.Y.)              I         Sr.  Park Ridge, N.J.                4.00    Economics

F         Lauren Fowlkes                Notre Dame                     V       Jr.    Lee's Summit, Mo.           3.65    Science & Business

F         Shay Powell                     Nebraska                           VII      Sr.  Dallas, Texas                     3.92    Psychology

F         Erin Scott ***                    Rice                                      VI      Sr.  Dallas, Texas                     4.00           Psychology/Pre-Med

Third Team

Pos.    Name                                 School                           Dist.   Cl.   Hometown                       GPA    Major

D         Emily Brandenburg         Francis Marion                III       Sr.  Martinez, Ga.                    4.00    Political Science

D         Liz Harkin                         Arizona State                  VIII      Sr.  Granite Bay, Calif.            3.82    Bioscience

D         Shelly Moeller                   U.S. Naval Academy      II        Sr.  Milford, Ohio                     3.54    Honors Oceanography

D         Katelyn Ostendorf            Rice                                  VI      Sr.  Zionsville, Ind.                   4.00    Biochemistry & Cell Biology

M         Becky Edwards                Florida State                   III       Sr.  Downingtown, Pa.            3.77    Marketing

M         Emily Pallotta                   Boston University           I         Sr.  Andover, Mass.                 3.75    Business Admin. & Mgmt.

M         Vendula Strnadova           Memphis                         IV      Jr.    Las Cruces, N.M.             3.98    Exercise & sport sciences

F         Alexis Ball                         New Mexico                       VI      Jr.    Albuquerque, N.M.            4.14    Biology

F         Kelly McConnell                St. John’s (N.Y.)              I         Sr.  Strongsville, Ohio             3.86    Biology

F         Sophie Reiser                  Columbia                         I         Sr.  Seattle, Wash.                    3.67    Political Science

ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America ® of the Year: Beth Reed, U.S. Naval Academy

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