GREENSBORO, N.C. - Three Virginia Tech student-athletes were named to the 2010 All-ACC Academic Softball Team, as announced Tuesday by Commisioner John Swofford. Juniors Richelle McGarva and Ashton Ward, along with freshman Courtney Liddle, were all honored for their work in the classroom.

All three also excelled on the field, contributing as regular starters. McGarva, from Surrey, B.C., Canada, was a second-team All-ACC selection and finished second on the team in batting average. Liddle, from Haymarket, Va., set a new Tech freshman record with 11 home runs and earned a spot on the ACC’s All-Tournament Team. Ward, from Charlotte, N.C., also garnered all-tournament honors and started at five different field positions - first base, shortstop, pitcher, left field and right field - during the season.

To be eligible for Scholar-Athlete of the Year, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade-point-average in each of the last two semesters and have maintained a 3.00 GPA throughout her career. Student-athletes must have earned a 3.00 GPA during the spring semester and own the same cumulative mark to be eligible for selection to the All-ACC Academic team.

All eight of the ACC’s softball teams were represented, with North Carolina leading the league with six selections, followed by Boston College, Florida State, and Georgia Tech with five apiece. Virginia garnered four picks, Virginia Tech had three, Maryland had two, and NC State had one.

All ACC softball information, including the full all-academic team, can be found on theACC.com.