The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) has released the 2017 Academic All-District teams in softball with Emory senior pitcher Brittany File (Carmel, CA) and senior outfielder Taylor Forte (Pleasantville, NY) earning spots on the coveted list.

File has compiled a 13-4 record in the circle with her victory total second in the University Athletic Association. Recently named to the All-UAA First Team for the second straight season, File has recorded an ERA of 1.81 over 116 1/3 innings of work.  She has struck out 157 batters, sixth on the program's seasonal chart, and her average of 9.45 strikeouts per seven innings paces the league while ranking 10^th in the Division III ranks. She has fanned 10 or more batters on four occasions this season including a season-high 14, in a complete-game no-hitter vs. Averett.  Her career record of 76-21 makes her the school's all-time leader in wins, surpassing the previous mark of 73 held by Nicole Kovski (2001-04).

In the classroom, File, a double major in neuroscience and behavioral biology and philosophy, maintains a 3.70 grade-point average through fall of 2016.  It is the third straight year that she has landed a berth on the academic all-district team.

Forte has been a key cog in the Emory offensive attack and sports a team-best hitting mark of .436 (51 of 117), good for second place among UAA performers.  A starter in all 38 Emory contests, she tops the squad and is fourth in the league in base hits and tied for the No. 4 spot on the conference ladder with 32 runs scored.  The owner of a team-high 16 multi-hit outings, she holds down the top spot in the UAA and stands 28^th in Division III in on-base percentage (.538). 

Away from the field, Forte is a dual major in biology and mathematics and has a GPA of 3.67.  It is the second straight year that she has been chosen to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.

Voting for the Academic All-District team is conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Emory's representatives are District 5 selections from Division III institutions comprised from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

The honor is awarded annually to student athletes who have excelled both academically and athletically.  To be eligible, a nominee must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at his/her current institution, carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) and be a starter or key reserve.

By virtue of being selected to the Academic All-District Team, File and Forte will advance to the national ballot for the Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month. Last year, both players were tabbed as Third Team Academic All-Americans.