Three women's soccer players named Academic All-Americans

Three members of the Western Washington University women's soccer team have been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America Capital One Division II Academic All-America Team.

Forward Kristin Maris (Sr., Issaquah) was a second-team selection, and midfielder Ashton Griffen (Sr., Duvall/Cedarcrest) and forward Catherine Miles (So., Anacortes) were third-team choices.

Maris is a behavioral neuroscience major, maintaining a 3.83 grade point average (4.0 scale). Named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, she was the only unanimous first-team all-conference pick.

Maris, a three-time GNAC academic all-star and two-time District 8 Academic all-star, has 10 goals and eight assists for the Vikings this season. She is tied for ninth among WWU career leaders in goals with 27 and is tied for sixth in assists with 19.

Miles, who is a biology/chemistry major with a 3.84 GPA, was a first-team all-conference choice and a three-time GNAC Player of the Week selection. She tops the conference in goals with 15 and leads in game-winning goals with five.

Griffen, a physical education major with a 3.90 GPA, has a GNAC-leading 11 assists, which ranks 11th nationally and is just one short of the WWU season record.

Miles and Griffen also were District 8 and GNAC academic all-stars.

WWU is 20-1-1, winning both the West Regional and GNAC regular-season titles. The Vikings defeated St. Edward's, 2-0, in a national quarterfinal game Sunday, Nov. 24, and will be competing in the Final Four on Dec. 5 at Evans, Georgia.