FLORENCE, SC - The National Fastpitch Coaches Association recently announced its Academic Scholar-Athlete Teams for the 2006 season, and Francis Marion University was one of 56 NCAA Division II programs to garner recognition – and the only Peach Belt Conference school to be named to the list.

The Academic Scholar-Athlete Teams are based on cumulative team grade-point averages submitted by NFCA member head coaches for the 2005-06 academic year. Squads are named in six categories: all three NCAA divisions, NAIA, junior college, and high school.

The Patriots compiled a 3.163 cumulative grade-point average and were ranked 43rd among Division II programs. FMU was one of only three South Carolina institutions to make the Division II list.   FMU previously earned this honor in 1999 and 2000.

“This is an award that obviously makes a coach proud,” said FMU head coach Stacey Vallee. “The team members are succeeding both on and off the playing field, and are successfully upholding the title of ‘student-athlete’.”

Francis Marion posted a 27-16 record this past spring, finished sixth in the Peach Belt Conference regular-season standings, and narrowly missed a bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the third consecutive year.

Ten of the squad's 16 players were named to the PBC Presidential Honor Roll following the season.