Four members of the Francis Marion University softball team – senior right-handed pitcher Rachel Davis, senior designated player Savana Rosson, junior catcher Lauren Smallwood, and junior outfielder Katie Smith – have been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for 2023.

Selected by CSC, the All-District Team recognizes the area's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions: NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.

All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot, with the Academic All-America® honorees to be announced in June.

Davis, a native of Mechanicsville, Va., recently graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. degree in biology and a 3.767 cumulative grade point average.  On the field, she posted a 19-9 record with a 4.30 earned run average and 122 strikeouts in 161 innings of work.  She made 33 pitching appearances, recorded 17 complete games, and was named the MVP of the Conference Carolinas Tournament.

For her work in the classroom, she was named to the Academic All-Conference Team for the third year in a row.  She was part of the FMU Honors Program, earned a Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award in 2021, was a member of Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society, and was twice named an NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.  She was placed on the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll following all eight of her semesters.

Rosson hails from Gilbert, S.C., and has a 3.824 GPA as an elementary education major.  She hit .322 this season with eight doubles, nine home runs, and 46 runs batted in. She was named to the Academic All-Conference Team for the second consecutive year.  She garnered NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete in both 2022 and 2021, received a Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award in 2021, and served two years on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).  She is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society and has been named to the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll all eight of her semesters.

Smallwood, a native of Waycross, Ga., has a 3.589 GPA as a biology major. She batted .333 with two doubles, five homers, 24 RBIs, and a .447 on-base percentage. She has twice earned Academic All-Conference and NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete recognition, is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society, and has served two years on the SAAC.  She has been placed on the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll for all six of her semesters.

Smith, a native of Greenwood, S.C., owns a 3.896 GPA as an elementary education major.  She hit .307 with 35 runs scored, five doubles, two triples, three homers, and 27 RBIs. She was named to the 2023 Academic All-Conference Team, is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society, and twice garnered NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete recognition.  She has been named to the FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll for all six of her semesters.

The four helped lead Francis Marion to a 42-13 record this past season, tying the program record for most wins in a season.  The Patriots won the Conference Carolinas Tournament title and made a second straight appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

The Division II CSC Academic All-America® program is partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2023 Divisions II Academic All-America® program.

Davis is a graduate of Atlee High School, while Rosson is a product of Gilbert High School, Smallwood came from Ware County High School, and Smith from Greenwood High School.