BUIES CREEK, N.C.-- Campbell University senior Karlie Love has been named to the ESPN The Magazine / Academic All-District III Softball University Division first team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) the organization announced Thursday, May 7th.

Playing first base for the Camels, Love has posted a 3.85 grade point average in government through her academic career in Buies Creek. The Mt. Airy, N.C. native leads the team and ranks among the conference leaders in numerous offensive categories. Love leads the Camels with her .409 batting average, 54 hits, 15 home runs, 50 RBIs, .788 slugging percentage, 28 walks, a .535 on-base percentage and eight game-winning RBIs.

She is also ranked among the conference leaders in hit by pitch (t-1st), home runs (2nd), slugging percentage (2nd), on-base percentage (3rd), runs-batted in (t-3rd), batting average (5th), walks (t-5th), total bases (t-6th). Additionally she ranks among the national leaders in batting average (47th), home runs per game (19th), runs-batted in (19th), slugging percentage (22nd) and home runs (15th).

The senior was named the Atlantic Sun's Player of the Week on Feb. 9th. In conference only games Love hit .362 with 21 hits, four home runs and 12 RBIs. She also has garnered academic honors from the conference in each of her four seasons.

Love is just the fifth Fighting Camel softball player to receive CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. She is now a two-time All-District honoree after last season's selection.

As a first-team member, Love will be on the ballot for Academic All-America® recognition. Campbell student-athletes have earned Academic All-America® honors from CoSIDA 14 times since 1988, most recently in 2006 when Devin Sheppard was selected in men's soccer. CU athletes have gained Academic All-District 3 recognition in each of the last 15 years, 40 times in school history.

Love is one of four Atlantic Sun softball players to earn all-district honors this season along with Andrea Migliori (second team), Kellie Sirus (first team) and Lauren Dortweght (second team).

CoSIDA's 1,800 members in the United States and Canada nominate players for ESPN The Magazine / Academic All-America® recognition. To be eligible, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average and be a starter or key reserve on his or her team. CoSIDA members vote on the all-district teams, then a national panel selects the Academic All-America squads. District 3 includes all NCAA Division I schools in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The national ESPN The Magazine / Academic All-America® team will be announced later this month.