(Portions of this story courtesy of Texas Lutheran University)
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Texas Lutheran senior Ashley Meadows garnered the university's 24th Academic All-America honor and claimed the seventh First Team selection in school history when she was named Tuesday to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Team.
For the second time in the 2013-14 academic year, TLU celebrates a First Team Academic All-America selection.
Meadows joins TLU Baseball's Derek Kanas as a First Team Academic All-America selection this year.
Meadows is the third overall Academic All-America honor produced by the Bulldogs in 2013-14. TLU Softball's Ashley Jacobsen was a Third Team Academic All-America selection.
A summa cum laude graduate of TLU in May, Meadows took a 4.0 grade point average into the nomination period. She majored in molecular biology and chemistry.
Meadows was a Third Team Academic All-America® selection in 2013. She was the 2013-14 TLU Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a four-year letter-winner in women's cross country/women's track and field.
Meadows collected five conference rings in her Bulldog career. She was on the 2012 American Southwest Conference Women's Cross Country Championship squad and on the 2011, 2012 and 2013 ASC Women's Track and Field Championship teams.
Meadows also earned a ring with the Bulldogs' 2014 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Track and Field Championship squad.
Meadows participated in TLU service days "Day of the Dogs" and "HOT Dawgs" and was a member of TLU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, Pi Rho Chemistry Club and the Biology Honors Society.
Meadows was a three-time ASC Academic All-Conference honoree and claimed SCAC Spring Academic Honor Roll recognition on Monday. She was a two-time ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete award recipient.
Meadows joins women's basketball player Chantel Mize (1998-99), men's basketball player Tommy Stolhandske (2004-05), football player Matt Alves (2007-08), football player Allen Cain (2011-12 and 2012-13) and Derek Kanas (2013-14) as the only First Team Academic All-America® selections in TLU history.
The 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Team is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A First, Second and Third Team Academic All-America® are selected by CoSIDA.
Meadows advanced to the national ballot after being named to the Academic All-District 8 First Team – an award she received in two consecutive years.
