University of Massachusets Athletics
Cross Named Top A-10 Female Scholar-Athlete
June 25, 2003 | Softball
June 25, 2003
AMHERST, Mass. - It was announced today that University of Massachusetts softball standout Brandi Cross (Diamond Bar, Calif.) has been named the Atlantic 10 Conference's 2002-03 female scholar-athlete of the year as voted upon by the league's athletic director's.
"Brandi Cross has been a cornerstone to the success that UMass Softball has enjoyed both on the field and in the classroom during her four year career," said Head Coach Elaine Sortino. "She truly epitomizes the words 'student-athlete.' She has worked so hard to get where she is and has really raised the bar for others to follow in her footsteps."
Cross, who was named the 2003 Verizon Academic All-American of the Year for softball, batted .318 and set a UMass single-season record with 11 home runs. She also had seven doubles, drove in 37 runs, scored 30 runs and posted a .583 slugging percentage in earning All-Conference honors at first base. In addition, she garnered a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Championship team for helping the Minutewomen to their ninth straight Atlantic 10 title.
Off the field, the Atlantic 10 Softball Student-Athlete of the Year gradutaed last month with a 3.889 grade point average (GPA) as a psychology major, while receiving the department's Millstone Scholarship. For her career, she earned a 4.0 in-major GPA. She was also a 2003 first team Academic All-America and a three-time Verizon Academic All-District first team selection. She is a three-time Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference team member and has been a member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's and UMass Athletic Director honor roll each semester. Cross was one of four student-athletes to receive an A-10 postgraduate scholarship and will enroll at Boston College to pursue a Master's in education this fall.
Cross is the third UMass athlete, second female, to earn this honor. She joins former gymnast Tammy Marshall (1992-93) and Mike Tobin (1990-91) of the baseball team.
Atlantic 10 female Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees included Brandie Adams (Saint Joseph's softball), Aderonke Adeniyi (Temple track & field), Erin Brooks (Fordham softball), Lauren Clary (Xavier tennis), Elizabeth Cook (Richmond swimming), Beth Friday (Duquesne basketball), Kelly Irvin (Rhode Island soccer), Shannon Kuhl (Dayton soccer), Amy Schneider (La Salle soccer), and Tracy Wei (George Washington tennis).
George Washington soccer player Matt Osborne was the men's winner in a list that included Kwesi Frimpong-Boateng (Accra, Ghana) of the UMass men's track team.