Lincoln Memorial University junior forward Nicole McKinney (Ooltewah) has been named to the 2013 NSCAA College Division Women's Scholar All-South Region Third Team, officials with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced early this week.
With that award in hand, McKinney has now collected three academic merits in her tenure with the Lady Railsplitters as she was a Capital One Academic All-District selection in 2012 and 2013, making her only the second student-athlete in school history and the first from either the men's or women's program to garner Academic All-District laurels two times.
Since arriving at Lincoln Memorial in the fall of 2011, McKinney has gathered a 3.95 cumulative grade point average while pursuing a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies/Human Development.
The Ooltewah, Tennessee native and Girls Preparatory School graduate has appeared on the Dean's List at the completion of each of her five semesters.
A total of 102 student-athletes representing schools ranging from small NCAA Division I to NAIA comprised the NSCAA College Division Women's Scholar All-South Region Team. There were 14 first-team selection, 11 second- and third-team honorees and 66 nods for honorable mention.
Along with her academic honors and achievements, McKinney was named All-South Atlantic Conference Honorable Mention after posting seven goals, two assists, 55 shots and 27 shots on goal this past season. All told, she ranked sixth in the South Atlantic Conference in goals, fourth in shots and second in game-winning goals with three.
After finishing the regular season with a 6-5 record in SAC play, the Lady Railsplitters drew the No.5 seed for the 2013 Food Lion SAC Championship, but wins over four-seeded Catawba and top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne pushed Lincoln Memorial into the title match of the league tournament. In that match, the Lady Railsplitters and Wingate Bulldogs were knotted in a 1-1 stalemate before WU struck with 57 seconds remaining to hand LMU a heartbreaking 2-1 loss. The Lady Railsplitters finished the season with a 10-8-1 overall mark, their most wins since the 2010 campaign.