Ashley Leonard named to CoSIDA Academic All-District Team

WKU Lady toppers celebrate after scoring a penalty kick to defeat the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters during the game at the WKU Soccer Complex on Sunday Sept. 29, 2019.

Drake Kizer

The College Sports Information Directors of America released its 2019 Academic All-District Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams on Thursday, and a member of the WKU soccer team was recognized as one of the nation’s top student-athletes both on the field and in the classroom.

Junior forward Ashley Leonard was voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Women’s Soccer Team in the NCAA Division I – District 2 (DC, DE, KY, MD, NJ, PA, WV) division.

The award is Leonard’s second academic accolade this week — she was also named to the Conference USA All-Academic Second Team on Monday.

The junior is an international business major at WKU. The Troy, Michigan, native earned the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal last year in addition to All-Academic Team honors.

Leonard was the Lady Toppers’ leading goal-scorer for 2019, notching eight on the year. That mark is tied for the ninth-most in a WKU season.

The high-scoring forward came in clutch for WKU on multiple occasions, netting the game-winner four different times and making two penalty kicks for her team.

Her four game-winners, which came against Middle Tennessee State, Alabama A&M, Louisiana Tech and Marshall, are tied for the fourth-most in a single season by a WKU player.

The award is voted on by sports information directors from around the nation. The All-District teams become the ballot for Academic All-American honors that will be voted on at a later date.

Sports Editor Drake Kizer can be reached at [email protected]. Follow Drake on Twitter at @drakekizer_.