MOORHEAD, Minn. (5/11/06)-- Concordia junior shortstop Kelli Niess (Rice, Minn./Sauk Rapids HS) was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Third Team as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) it was announced on Thursday.

Niess led the Cobbers in hitting in 2006 with a .373 average. She also led the team in on-base percentage (.430), hits (41) and stolen bases (20). She played started in all 34 of the team's games this season. Niess hit safely in 25 of the team's 34 games and had 11 multiple-hit games during the year.

It is the first time in her Niess' career that she has won an academic/athletic award. Niess carries a 3.86 grade point average while majoring in Political Science.

The honor is given to athletes in the College Division of the Academic All-American award. The College Division includes players from NCAA Division II, III and NAIA from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana schools. Sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible to be nominated. Student-athletes must have a grade-point average above 3.20 (4.0 scale) and have outstanding athletic credentials. College sports information directors in the district vote for the teams.

Niess has amassed 45 stolen bases during her three years at Concordia and is only eight away from breaking the school record for most stolen bases in a career. She is a career .339 hitter and has appeared in 101 games for the Cobbers.