ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced Friday that five Cal State San Marcos women's soccer players have been named 2012 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes. In order to qualify for the award, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status at her current institution.

Seniors Natalya Erbel and Vanessa Novella, along with juniors Mary Green, Jessica Wilds and Amy Young, were honored with the award. For a complete list of honorees, click here.

For Erbel, it marks the second season in a row she has been named a Daktronics Scholar-Athlete. In 2011, she was the Cougars' lone selection other than then-senior Kaycee Gunion. She holds a 3.81 cumulative GPA in Kinesiology while minoring in German.
 
Erbel made six starts in 11 appearances for CSUSM in 2012. She scored the game-winner in a win over Ashford (Iowa) on Oct. 12.

Novella, a Human Development major, boasts a 3.9 GPA at CSUSM. She started seven of her first 10 games in 2012 before her season ended prematurely on Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City due to an injury.

Green, a Kinesiology major with a 3.9 GPA, appeared in five games as a reserve this year. She also missed a chuck of time due to a knee injury.

Wilds appeared in nine games this season and started both games of the A.I.I. Tournament as a central midfielder. She scored her first goal of the season in the semifinals against University of Houston-Victoria. A Kinesiology major, Wilds holds a 3.65 GPA.

Young, another Kinesiology major, has a 3.56 GPA through the fall semester. Young appeared in four games as a reserve this season.

The CSUSM women's soccer team was also recently awarded the NSCAA Team Academic Award for holding a combined GPA of 3.06 through the 2011-12 school year.