MOUNT OLIVE (July 3) – The University of Mount Olive softball team featured four players on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, as sophomore McKenzie Millard, senior Alyssa Smothers, junior Samantha Taylor, and junior Bri Verme each garnered the accolade.

To qualify for CSC Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, maintain a cumulative 3.50 GPA, and have played in 90 percent of the team's games or started 66 percent of the team's games. For pitcher nominations, the minimum is 17 appearances or 35.0 innings pitched. Additionally, each institution is capped at five nominees in the sport of softball.

Millard posted a .324 batting average with 47 hits, 11 runs batted in, 33 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases in 50 games played. She totaled 11 multi-hit games and registered a team-best 16-game reached base streak. Additionally, Millard was named to the Conference Carolinas All-Defensive Team at third base after tallying 65 putouts and 71 assists while contributing to seven double plays. She holds a 3.73 GPA while majoring in mathematics.

For a third consecutive year, Smothers captured CSC Academic All-District honors following a stellar senior campaign. She garnered All-Conference Carolinas First-Team status at second base while boasting a .313 batting average in Conference Carolinas play with 20 hits, two homers, eight runs batted in, and 17 runs scored. Smothers graduated with a degree in biomedical sciences while maintaining a 3.73 GPA.

Taylor delivered a breakout junior campaign and was the top offensive threat in the Trojan lineup this season. She recorded a .366 batting average with 60 hits, 11 doubles, three triples, 48 runs batted in, and 11 stolen bases in 51 starts. Taylor paced Mount Olive with 13 multi-hit games and 13 multi-RBI contests. She earned All-Conference Carolinas Second-Team honors and All-Defensive honors by the league in left field. Taylor is pursuing a degree in nursing and holds a 3.57 GPA.

In the circle, Verme made 16 appearances with eight starts while tallying 47.0 innings pitched. She held a 4.62 ERA with 18 strikeouts behind a 2-4 overall record with one save. Verme holds a 3.59 GPA while pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemistry.

Note, starting in the 2023-24 academic year advancement from Academic All-District submission to the Academic All-America ballot will be determined by subcommittees of the CSC Academic All-America program (formerly CoSIDA).