Softball Southern Conference

UTC's Alexander Earns Academic All-America Honors

HATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Chattanooga pitcher Beth Alexander has become the
first Lady Mocs softball player to be named to the Verizon Academic
All-America Team. Alexander, who was the Southern Conference Pitcher of the
Year the last two seasons, earned Second Team Academic All-America honors
and was the only Southern Conference player honored.

A senior from East Ridge, Tenn., Alexander sports a 3.607 GPA in Education
with an emphasis in secondary English. She helped lead the Lady Mocs to a
third-place finish in the NCAA Regional and a No. 27 ranking in the nation
in the final USA Today/NFCA Softball Poll. Alexander's 1.07 ERA and 25-7
record were tops in the SoCon this season and she was ranked nationally all
year in ERA and wins. She is Chattanooga's career leader in strikeouts,
wins, appearances and innings pitched.

"Beth is continuing a tradition that is very important to Chattanooga
softball and that is a high academic and athletic standard for our
athletes," said Lady Mocs softball coach Frank Reed. "I am proud of her
athletic accomplishments, but I am more pleased about her academic
accomplishments, which will go with her forever. This gives us a good basis
to show others the kind of accomplishments a team and individuals can have
here."

Alexander has been named to UTC's Dean's List every semester since she
entered Chattanooga in the fall of 1998. She achieved a 4.0 GPA in the Fall
of 2001 and never had a semester GPA below 3.5.

"The award came as no surprise, and yet I realize the impact of this honor
for her," said UTC academic advisor Molly Kotarski. "Beth has always been a
student who has been interested in achievements, and she made sure all the
professors knew she was an athlete and a serious scholar. This a tribute
not only to her personal development, but it's a tribute to Coach Reed and
the entire softball team."

Alexander is the first Chattanooga athlete to be named Verizon Academic
All-America since tennis star Ivan Poullaos in 1998. She is the first
Southern Conference softball player to receive such an honor since Furman's
Julie Glasser in 1997.