Horizon League soccer programs well represented on CoSIDA Academic All-District teams
Nov. 3, 2005
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INDIANAPOLIS -- Nine student-athletes from five Horizon League institutions are on the national ballot for Academic All-America honors after earning Academic All-District recognition this week. The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced the awards, sponsored by ESPN The Magazine, on Thursday (Nov. 3).
The Horizon League had five of the 11 players listed on the men's District V honor roll, with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as the only school with two players---senior forward Neil Dombrowski and sophomore defender Steve Bode---recognized. Both Panther players also received First-Team All-Horizon League recognition Thursday for their efforts on the field.
Dombrowski ranks second in the League with 22 points, sharing the top spot on the loop charts with his nine goals this season. Three of those markers were match-winners as the Panthers enter the Horizon League Championship tournament with a 10-4-4 overall record and No. 7 standing in the latest NSCAA regional poll. Dombrowski carries a 3.52 grade-point average as a marketing major.
Bode has been one of the anchors of the Panther defense, helping lead the team to a League-best 0.83 goals-against average with eight shutouts. The sophomore also scored five goals during the regular season to stand second on the team in that category, while also maintaning a 3.71 grade-point average as a psychology major.
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay senior defender Adam Ben-Zikri is also a repeat First-Team selection, winning the honor for the second consecutive year after playing in 15 of UW-Green Bay's 17 regular-season matches, helping the Phoenix register a 1.20 goals-against average with three shutouts. Ben-Zikri was one of three Horizon League players to receive Academic All-America honors last year, picking up Second-Team recognition at the national level for his work on the field and in the classroom. He owns a 3.92 GPA as a business administration major.
Butler University senior defender Patrick Reilly earned First-Team honors for the second year in a row after starting 17 matches this fall, helping the Bulldogs post eight shutouts as part of a 9-9-0 overall record during the regular season. He has compiled a 3.80 grade-point average, majoring in history, philosophy and French while playing in 68 matches during his four seasons at Butler.
Loyola University Chicago senior forward Joe Nierzwicki ranks fifth on the Rambler charts with seven points in 17 appearances. One of his three goals was a match-winner to help Loyola defeat crossrown rival University of Illinois at Chicago, 2-1, on Sept. 23. Off the field, he boasts a 3.67 grade-point average as a biology major at the university.
District V includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin, plus the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba. The regional honor roll also includes Indiana University goalkeeper Chris Munroe, Bradley University defender Adam Hage, University of Evansville defender Jason Pele, DePaul University midfielder Adam Hermsen, University of Notre Dame midfielder John Stephens and University of Wisconsin forward Christopher Ede.
In District IV, the University of Detroit Mercy is represented by junior defender Jason Massoglia, who also gained First-Team All-League honors plus the League's Defensive Player of the Year honor earlier this week. Massoglia played a key role on the Titan back line, pacing UDM to the League's regular-season championship with a 6-1-0 loop record and a 10-5-2 overall mark highlighted by six shutouts. Massoglia also made an impact offensively, standing third on the team and sixth in the League with six goals. Off the field, he owns a 3.57 GPA as an accouting major.
Massoglia is joined on the District V list by a pair of Vanderbilt University representatives in goalkeeper Kenny Schoeni and forward John Krause, along with the Belmont University tandem of defender Chris Anderson and midfielder Channing Twyner plus the University of Memphis duo of midfielder Jared Britcher and forward Andy Metcalf. University of Dayton defender Dan Hartwig and Western Michigan University defender Dan Picmann also made the list, along with University of Cincinnati midfielder Matt Hayden and Western Kentucky University forward Daniel Payne. District V is comprised of the states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.
On the women's side, UW-Green Bay junior forward Stephanie Gross and UW-Milwaukee sophomore defender Ginny Graczyk received First-Team Academic All-District honors in District V. Gross and Graczyk were both First-Team All-Horizon League selections on the field, with Gross currently leading the League with her 23 points (nine goals, five assists). That total helped the Phoenix to a 9-8-1 overall record during the regular season. She carries a 3.754 grade-point average as a double major in human development and psychology.
Graczyk anchors a Panther defense that leads the League in goals-against average and shutouts. She added a goal and two assists for the Panthers, helping UW-Milwaukee to the regular-season League championship and top seed in this weekend's League Championship tournament. In the classroom, she boasts a 3.874 GPA majoring in health sciences and psychology.
Notre Dame had three First-Team selections in goalkeeper Erika Bohn, defender Ashley Jones and midfielder Annie Schefter, while the University of Illinois was represented by sisters (defender) Christen and (forward) Natasha Karniski. IPFW's Lindsay Williamson, Ball State University's Amy Holst and Wisconsin's Jessica Ring fill the midfield, with Marquette University's Christy Zwolski at the other forward position.
A third Horizon League representive is Detroit junior midfielder Mary Parker, who garnered First-Team Academic All-District IV accolades. Parker was also a First-Team All-League selection in 2005 after scoring a team-high seven goals with three assists this season. Parker's efforts helped the Titans to the No. 2 seed in the League Championship tournament with a 5-1-1 loop ledger. She was the 2004 Horizon League Player of the Year and carries a 3.78 GPA as a biology major.
The District IV First-Team list includes Bowling Green goalkeeper Ali Shingler, University of Louisville defenders Gina Lower and Amy Seng, plus Memphis backliner Robyn Smart. East Tennessee State Unviersity's Erin Ashton and Austin Peay State University's Adonia Bivins join Parker in the midfield, with the University of Michigan's Therese Heaton, Eastern Michigan University's Michele Lawrence and Miami (Ohio) University's Kathleen Vistica at the forward spots.
Graczyk's teammate Katie Campion was a Second-Team All-District choice in District V, with Detroit senior Allison Epple receiving Third-Team honors in District IV.
To be eligible for Academic All-District consideration, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or higher (based on a 4.00 scale) with sophomore or higher standing both athletically and academically. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has presented Academic All-America honors to more than 14,000 student-athletes at the Division I, II, III and NAIA levels. The First-Team selections from each of CoSIDA's eight districts are placed on the ballot for Academic All-America consideration. The men's national honor roll will be announced Nov. 21, with the women's team released the following day.
Last fall, UW-Milwaukee's Antou Jallow gained First-Team Academic All-America honors while Ben-Zikri and Detroit's Ablaye Camara were both Second-Team All-America selections. Jallow earned Second-Team recognition as a junior in 2003, while Butler's Michael Mariscalco was a First-Team choice in 2002. Cleveland State University's Joachim Walker gained Second-Team honors and Ablaye on the Third-Team list in 2002. Butler's Amy Morrison was the last Horizon League player to win Academic All-America honors in women's soccer, claiming Second-Team status in 2002.
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CoSIDA / ESPN The Magazine University Division District IV Men's Soccer Academic All-District TeamGKKenny SchoeniVanderbiltJr.DChris AndersonBelmontJr.DDan HartwigDaytonSr.DJason MassogliaDetroitJr.DDan PicmannWestern MichiganJr.MJared BritcherMemphisSo.MMatt HaydenCincinnatiSr.MChanning TwynerBelmontSr.FJohn KrauseVanderbiltSr.FAndy MetcalfMemphisSr.FDaniel PayneWestern KentuckyJr.
CoSIDA / ESPN The Magazine University Division District IVWomen's Soccer Academic All-District TeamGKAli ShinglerBowling GreenSr.DMonica BuffVanderbiltJr.DGina LowerLouisvilleSr.DAmy SengLouisvilleJr.DRobyn SmartMemphisSr.MErin AshtonEast Tennessee StateSr.MAdonia BivinsAustin Peay St.Jr.MKelsey FenixKentuckySo.MMary ParkerDetroitJr.FMichele LawrenceEastern MichiganSr.FKathleen VisticaMiami (Ohio)Jr.
(Note: District IV includes the states of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama)
CoSIDA / ESPN The Magazine University Division District V Men's Soccer Academic All-District TeamGKChris MunroeIndianaSo.DSteve BodeUW-MilwaukeeSo.DAdam HageBradleySr.DJason PeleEvansvilleJr.DPatrick ReillyButlerSr.MAdam Ben-ZikriUW-Green BaySr.MAdan HermsenDePaulSr.MJohn StephensNotre DameSr.FNeil DombrowskiUW-MilwaukeeSr.FChristopher EdeWisconsinSo.FJoe NierzwickiLoyolaSr.
CoSIDA / ESPN The Magazine University Division District V Women's Soccer Academic All-District TeamGKErika BohnNotre DameSr.DGinny GraczykUW-MilwaukeeSo.DAshley JonesNotre DameSo.DChristen KarniskiIllinoisSr.DJessica RingWisconsinSr.MAmy HolstBall StateJr.MAnnie SchefterNotre DameSr.MLindsay WilliamsonIPFWSr.FStephanie GrossUW-Green BayJr.FNatasha KarniskiIllinoisSr.FChrisy ZwolskiMarquetteSo.
(Note: District V includes the states of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota plus the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba)
