HILTON HEAD, S.C. – Columbus State women's soccer student-athlete Avery Williams was named the Peach Belt Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the league's annual awards dinner on Tuesday in Hilton Head.

Williams, a native of St. Augustine, Florida, becomes the eighth CSU student-athlete and sixth female to secure the honor. The award is highest individual honor given to student-athlete by the conference and are selected by the league's Faculty Athletics Representatives.

In her third season with the program, the junior returned from injury a season ago and etched her mark into what would be an impressive fall for the women's soccer program.

"I am truly amazed at the resilience and grit that Avery has shown over the past few years," Head Coach Jay Entlich stated. "Dealing with three torn ACL's and to achieve such an honor in her first competitive college season is remarkable."

Williams won the NCAA Elite 90 Award for the highest cumulative GPA of a student-athlete competing at the national championships in December. She graduated with a biology degree from Columbus State and earned summa cum laude status with a perfect 4.0 grade point average as well.

"She works extremely hard at everything that is place in front of her," Entlich added. "I am so proud to be a part of her journey."

In addition, Williams was a member of the Servant Leadership Program at CSU which focuses on leadership development and community service, committing to over 500 hours of community service. She also served the athletics department as a member of the CSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

As for her on-field performance, she was an anchor in a CSU defense that held opponents to just 12 goals for 0.48 goals per game. She captured First-Team All-Conference honors as a defender for the 2024 season, starting in all 25 contests for the Lady Cougars adding a goal to her season statistics. She amassed 2,004 minutes while being a part of defense that allowed only 7.2 shots per game.

The defender helped lead second-ranked CSU to a NCAA Final Four appearance and garnered regional and national recognition. She was named a Scholar All-American, Second-Team All-American, and First-Team All-Region by United Soccer Coaches. She was also tabbed as a member of the 2024 PBC Women's Soccer Team of Academic Distinction.

Williams is the third women's soccer student athlete to earn the honor and the first CSU student-athlete to win since 2019.