Mathes awarded CoSIDA Academic All-District honors for second time in career
GREENVILLE, Ind. – Coming off of a SAC quarterfinals victory over Wingate, graduate student defender Lira Mathes has been recognized as an Academic All-District Women's Soccer
2021 Academic All-District® Women's Soccer Teams Release (PDF)
GREENVILLE, Ind. – Coming off of a SAC quarterfinals victory over Wingate, graduate student defender Lira Mathes has been recognized as an Academic All-District Women's Soccer first-team member, announced Thursday by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
A transfer from Martin Methodist College, it is the second time that Mathes has received the award as an Eagle.
This is the second consecutive year an Eagle has received the honor and the second straight for Mathes.
The All-District award winners are recognized by CoSIDA as the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the playing field and in the classroom. Mathes is one of 11 players from the NCAA Division II's third district to receive the honor, which includes teams that compete in the South Atlantic Conference, Conference Carolinas and Peach Belt Conference.
The teams are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada.
Mathes is one of five players in her district representing a SAC school. The other four are Grayson Cameron from Lenoir-Rhyne, Katie Beck from Catawba, Selina Boveleth from Limestone, and Hannah Dunn from Catawba. Of the SAC representatives, Mathes posted the second highest individual GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Mathes, a 6-1 defender from Knoxville, Tenn. has played in 17 contests for the Eagles, receiving 16 starts across 1497 minutes played on the campaign. She has assisted on one goal this season while holding 10 shot attempts and three shots on her goal to her name in 2021. In her career, Mathes has made 40 appearances, including 31 starts, for the Eagles. Since joining the program in 2019, the Knoxville native has compiled five goals, one assist, 25 shots with 12 shots on goal, and one game winner in 2019 against then-ranked Lincoln Memorial.
With her honor, Mathes now puts her name onto the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. That list will be announced in early December.
