Shawna Ferris

2013 Academic All-America Team

Shawna Ferris of The College of Wooster women's lacrosse team was one of 15 named to the Capital One Academic All-America First Team for NCAA Div. III at-large sports, it was announced Tuesday following a vote by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). It marks the senior goalkeeper's first Academic All-American® award after being a three-time academic all-district selection.

Also notable, Ferris is the first women's lacrosse player in team history to be an Academic All-American®, and of the 15 first-team honorees, she was the only lacrosse player.

"It's an amazing honor for Shawna and the program," remarked Wooster head coach Elizabeth Ford. "I'm particularly happy for her to have graduated with all of these academic-athletic balanced awards. It's hard to explain how awesome this is. I'm super proud and happy for her."

On the field, Ferris not only started all four seasons, but was a four-time all-North Coast Athletic Conference award winner, earning first-team recognition as a senior this spring and as a sophomore. She was at her best during 2013, despite an injury limiting her to 11 games, as she ranked 11th nationally in save percentage (.525) and 32nd in goals against average (8.64). Both figures were career highs, with the .525 save percentage making it the second time Ferris has been the league leader in that category.

For her career, Ferris helped Wooster to a 41-19-1 record in 61 starts as she accumulated a .463 save percentage and 9.81 GAA. As a team, the Fighting Scots won the 2010 NCAC championship with Ferris in goal, and she helped them to this year's NCAC Tournament title game thanks in large part to her 14 saves during a 14-13 double-overtime victory against No. 1 seed and rival, Wittenberg University, in the semifinals.

Academically, Ferris finished with a near-perfect grade-point average (3.99) while majoring in communication studies with a minor in political science. She graduated summa cum laude, was elected into Phi Beta Kappa, and won the Cummings-Rumbaugh Speech and Dramatics Prize, a College award for high academic standing in communications.

In addition, Ferris was the president of the communications club, vice president of Wooster's chapter of Lambda Pi Eta (communications honor society), and vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Ferris now plans to take a "gap year" to save money for graduate school or law school, while gaining some relevant professional experience.

The Academic All-America® program, started in 1952 by CoSIDA, annually recognizes approximately 800 student-athletes who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom in Divisions, I, II, III, and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.