Southern Illinois' Amanda Clifton and Krystal Stein were both named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Softball Teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Clifton, a junior, carries a 3.94 GPA in accounting and was named to the second team. Only a sophomore, Stein sports a 4.00 GPA in Public Relations and was voted to the third team.

The Academic All-America Teams program honors 816 male and female student-athletes annually who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom. Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA (the College Sports Information Directors of America), a 2,000 member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

To be eligible, a student-athletes must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the programs inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.

2006 ESPN The Magazine All-America Softball Teams

First Team
P Kasi Carroll, Georgia, Jr., Norris City, Ill., 3.83 Early Childhood Education
P Grace Luginbuhl, Cleveland State, Sr., Lima, Ohio, 3.72 Chemical Engineering
C Ashley Smith, South Carolina, Sr., Portage, Mich., 4.00 Civil Engineering
INF Andrea Duran, UCLA, Sr., Selma, Calif., 3.50 Sociology
INF Stephanie Hill, Louisiana State, Sr., Harahan, La., 3.89 Finance & Political Science
INF Elana Meyers, George Washington, Jr., Douglasville, Ga., 3.93 Exercise Science
INF Lindsay Schutzler, Tennessee, Jr., Monterey, Calif., 3.86 Psychology
OF Lizzy Aumua, Nebraska, Sr., Santa Fe Springs, Calif., 3.88 Sociology
OF Natasha Jacob, Florida State, Sr., Coppell, Texas, 3.87 Exercise Science
OF Caitlin White, Seton Hall, Sr., Lincoln University, Pa., 3.96 Biology
DP/UT Meagen Johnson, Coastal Carolina, Sr., Georgetown, S.C., 3.86 History

Second Team
P Lindsey LaChiana, Northern Illinois, Sr., Oak Lawn, Ill., 4.00 Accountancy
P Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech, So., Eagle Rock, Va., 3.79 Finance
C Amanda Clifton, Southern Illinois, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., 3.94 Accounting/Mgt. Info. Systems
INF Charity Butler, Southern Mississippi, Sr., Pensacola, Fla., 4.00 Business
INF Brittany Cheney, Maine, Sr., Abington, Mass., 3.73 Psychology & Communcations
INF Joy Gallagher, Wagner, Sr., Hazelton, Pa., 3.88 Chemistry
INF Megan McCoy, Georgia State, Sr., Powder Springs, Ga., 3.80 Finance & Honors
OF Autumn Champion, Arizona, Sr., Tustin, Calif., 3.38 Elementary Education
OF Stephanie Brown, Notre Dame, Jr., Chandler, Ariz., 3.42 Marketing
OF Amy Hromadka, Texas State, Sr., West, Texas, 3.82 Biology
DP/UT Tara Hansen, Fairfield, Sr., Chandler, Ariz., 3.87 Mechanical Engineering

Third Team
P Catherine Bishop, Louisville, Jr., Adelaide, Australia, 3.43 Biology
P Erin Snyder, Princeton, Sr., Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., 3.40 Sociology
C Sara Mason, San Diego, Sr., Santa Rosa, Calif., 3.75 Sociology
C J.J. Thornberry, Cleveland State, Sr., New Bloomington, Ohio, 3.98 Graphic Design
INF Joelle Brunetto, St. Bonaventure, Sr., Depew, N.Y., 3.89 Finance
INF Garland Cooper, Northwestern, Jr., Mission Viejo, Calif., 3.30 Communication Studies
INF Emily Friedman, California, Sr., Berkeley, Calif., 3.60 Integrative Biology
INF Tricia Lilley, Purdue, Gr., North Canton, Ohio, 3.75 Management
OF Lauren Krieger, St. Bonaventure, Gr., Lancaster, N.Y., 3.90 Elementary Education
OF Krystal Stein, Southern Illinois, So., Nashville, Ill., 4.00 Public Relations
OF Kelly Osburn, Baylor, Sr., Missouri City, Texas, 3.54 Health Science Studies
OF Lauren Proctor, Massachusetts, Jr., La Jolla, Calif., 3.75 Journalism
OF Tiffany Stewart, South Florida, Sr., Odessa, Fla., 3.72 Psychology
DP/UT KoKo Tacha, Nebraska, Sr., Manhattan, Kan., 3.96 Business Administration