The Horizon League had four women's soccer players on the 2014 Capital One Academic All-District Women’s Soccer Teams, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, which was released Wednesday.
Cleveland State's Sabrina Abram, Youngstown State's Jackie Podolsky and Valparaios's Rita Craven and Jenny Fassbinder were all First-team selections for District 5.The honor recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.A mechanical engineering major, Abram has anchored a CSU defense this year, which has allowed a CSU single season low 17 goals this year. The unit has posted seven shutouts, tying the school record for most in a season. In addition, she has scored one goal and dished out an assist.
Abram has earned CSU's Academic Excellence Award in each of her three seasons and has been on the Horizon League Honor Roll.
Podolsky, who carries a 4.00 grade-point average in accounting, is the third Youngstown State women's soccer player to earn academic all-district honors and just the second to be named to the first-team. A goalkeeper, Podolsky owns school records for most career wins with 14 and goals-against average at 1.30. She also ranks third all-time with a .786 save percentage and seventh all-time with 176 career saves.
Podolsky also owns the YSU single-season record with a 1.15 goals-against average set in 2012 and her 1.25 goals-against average in 2014 ranks third on that list. She is also tied for third on the single-season wins chart with five this season.
Craven ranks second on the team with five goals and 11 points on the season, serving as one of the Crusaders’ most potent attacking weapons. Four of Craven’s five goals were of the match-winning variety, matching the program’s single-season record for game-winning goals. Her four match-winners also are tied for the Horizon League lead. In the classroom, Craven carries a 3.96 cumulative GPA as a biology major and was a member of the Academic All-Horizon League team last season. She has also been a member of the league’s Academic Honor Roll each semester eligible.
Fassbinder has been one of the anchors on the back line for a Valpo side which ranks among the nation’s top defensive teams. The junior has started every match on defense and has played a total of 1,441 minutes through 16 matches, second-most among Crusader field players. Fassbinder has helped lead the defense as it ranks among the top-ten in the nation in goals against average and has registered ten shutouts on the season. In the classroom, Fassbinder owns a 3.94 cumulative GPA as a biology major and has been a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll each semester eligible.
To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution.
First-team Academic All-District honorees advance to the Capital One Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and
third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.
Tags: Cleveland State - Women's Soccer · Horizon League - Women's Soccer · Youngstown State - Women's Soccer
