Emory University senior Megan Light (Atlanta) headlines the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America Division III Softball Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).  

An anthropology and human biology major with a 3.96 grade-point average, Light has been chosen as the NCAA Division III Academic All-America of the Year award winner for softball.  She becomes just the fourth different Emory student-athlete ever to have been chosen as the National Academic All-American for their respective sport, joining Kyle Foster (2003, Baseball), Tom Shane (2002, At-Large) and Andrea Pawliczek (2001, Women's Soccer) in that distinct group.

Light was one of two Eagle representatives to garner first-team recognition with senior Claire Bailey (Henrico, VA) earning a berth on the 11-member team.

A three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American, Light closed out the 2014 campaign with an outstanding hitting mark of .463 (68-of-147), good for the No. 2 spot among University Athletic Association players (through May 18).   Named as the UAA's Player of the Year on three occasions during her outstanding career, Light set a number of school seasonal marks including home runs (19), runs batted in (65) and slugging percentage (.986) in helping the Eagles to an overall record of 39-9 that included a berth in the NCAA Super Regionals.  A starter in all 46 games that she appeared in, she totaled a team-high 22 multi-hit contests and drove in two or more runs on 19 occasions.  It is the second time that Light has been selected as a Capital One Academic All-American, having been selected to the second team in 2013.

Bailey, a biology major with a GPA of 3.94, drew starting assignments in all 47 games she appeared in and hit .358 (48-of-134) and finished third on the squad with 45 runs scored.  A Second Team All-UAA honoree, Bailey ranked third on the squad with 15 multi-hit games and totaled four multi-RBI games.  Her 48 hits placed her fourth on the team as did her 10 doubles.  Career-wise, Bailey ranks third on the school's all-time list with 73 walks, fifth in assists (234) and seventh in runs scored (138).   It is Bailey's second berth on the Academic All-America Team, having been chosen to the second team in 2012.

To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at her/his current institution.