GALESBURG, Ill. — The College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced its Academic All-District Teams for women's soccer across each of the NCAA Divisions and NAIA, and Knox College had five student-athletes earn recognition for Division III — seniors Avery Leigh and Julia Maron, along with sophomores Asia Ling, Natalia Nuño and Darby Wallig.

Leigh, a defender from Sauk City, Wisconsin, was one of the team captains for a Prairie Fire team that posted its most victories in four years. The environmental science major started all 17 games and played nearly every minute as well. This is her second time being named to this team, and she was also inducted into Phi Beta Kappa this year and received Knox's Faculty Scholarship Prize at fall convocation, the highest honor bestowed upon a Knox student.

Like Leigh, Maron also received this honor last year. The creative writing and psychology double major from Jundiai, Brazil, saw action in 16 of the 17 matches, starting two, and appeared in 46 games over her three seasons on the squad. The forward has also been recognized by the Illinois College Press Association for her in-depth reporting during her collegiate career.

Ling has been a constant on the field for the Prairie Fire throughout her first two seasons, starting every game while playing all but 21 minutes in the 34 matches on defense. The elementary education major from Chicago, Illinois, helped Knox record seven shutouts during the fall campaign.

On the other end of the pitch, Nuño also started every contest. Hailing from Las Vegas, Nevada, the forward and psychology major scored one goal this fall, and it just happened to be the final goal of the Prairie Fire season, which lifted Knox to a 1-0 victory in the final minutes at Cornell College. 

Wallig, Knox's goalkeeper, twice was recognized this fall as the Midwest Conference Defensive Performer of the Week. The biochemistry major from Wendell, North Carolina, was in goal for six of the Prairie Fire's seven shutouts, including four in succession. She appeared in 13 matches, starting 12, and played over 1,120 minutes with a 1.61 goals against average while making 64 saves.

To be considered for Academic All-District honors, a soccer player must be in at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and have played in at least 90 percent of their team's games or started at least 66 percent of the contests.

Both Leigh and Ling were also named finalists and will advance to the national ballot for the opportunity to earn Academic All-America honors, voted on by CSC members. The first-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced on Dec. 17.