UIC's O'Mara Garners ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Accolade

June 22, 2006

Chicago, Ill. - A perfect finishing touch was put on the decorated track and field career of UIC senior Sara O'Mara on Thursday morning as she earned Second-Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors, it was announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

O'Mara, who owns the school records in the indoor shot put and the outdoor discus and hammer throw, boasted a perfect 4.0 GPA in Pre-Elementary Education.

The Hinsdale, Ill., native racked up three top 10 finishes this past May at the Horizon League Outdoor Track and Field Championships, placing second in the hammer throw (50.48m), third in the shot put (12.59m) and eighth in the discus (36.80m).

O'Mara was the 2005-06 UIC Co-Female Student-Athlete of the Year and was a four-time UIC Women's Track and Field Student-Athlete of the Year recipient. She was recognized earlier this year with a spot on the Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Academic All-League Team.

This is the second straight year UIC has had a student-athlete earn this prestigious award. Softball's Cameron Astiazaran was a First-Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America recipient last season.

Story provided by UIC Office of Sports Information

CoSIDA / ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Women's Track and Field TeamsUniversity Division

First-Team
Dana Altman, Florida (Sr., 3.98 GPA, Exercise and Sport Sciences-Fitness Wllness major)
Emily Anderson, Rhode Island (Sr., 3.97, Political Science and Economics)
Anne Bersagel, Wake Forest (Sr., 3.94, Economics and Political Science)
Caroline Bierbaum, Columbia (Sr., 3.74, History)
Stacey Cowan, Notre Dame (Sr., 3.79, Pre-Professional Studies)
Angela Homan, Auburn (Sr., 3.90, Exercise Science)
Lacy Janson, Florida State (Sr., 3.68, Dietetics)
Jennifer Leatherman, Penn State (Sr., 3.93, Recreation, Park and Tourism Management)
Beth Mallory, Alabama (Sr., 3.83, Physical Education)
Michelle Prowse, Oklahoma State (Grad., 4.00, Health and Human Performance)
Serena Ramsey, Missouri (Sr., 4.00, Human Development and Family Services)
Melanie Schorr, Dartmouth (Sr., 3.96, Genetic, Cell and Developmental Biology)
Ashley Selig, Nebrasks (Sr., 3.63, Exercise Science)
Shannon Wommack, Tennessee-Chattanooga (Grad., 3.70, Physical Therapy)

Academic All-America of the Year: Anne Bersagel, Wake Forest

Second-Team
Amanda Bales, Missouri (Sr., 3.91, Physical Therapy)
Maggie Bruggeman-Butler, Missouri-Kansas City (Grad., 3.99, Music Education)
Meghan Chance, Texas-San Antonia (Sr., 3.97, Psychology)
Lindsay Donaldson, Yale (So., 3.77, History)
Katie Erdman, Michigan (Jr., 3.76, English/Spanish)
Jeanna Fascione, Kent State (Sr., 3.94, Exercise Physiology)
Cassie Ficken, UNC Charlotte (Grad., 3.68, Civil Engineering)
Laci Heller, Kansas State (So., 4.00, Feed Science and Management)
Cassie Hunt, Illinois (Jr., 3.62, Sport Management)
Mandy Jenkins, Mount St. Mary's (Jr., 3.93, Biochemistry and Chemistry)
Michele Jett, Southeast Missouri State (Sr., 4.00, Nursing)
Sharonda Johnson, UNC Charlotte (Sr., 3.87, Chemistry)
Gunild Kreb, Virginia Tech (Grad., 4.00, Health Management)
Andrea Luebbe, Lehigh (Sr., 4.00, Earth and Environmental Science)
Stephanie Madia, Notre Dame (Sr., 3.48, Finance)
Becka Mansheim, South Dakota State (Jr., 4.00, Nursing)
Sara O'Mara, UIC (Sr., 4.00, Pre-Elementary Education)
Amarachi Ukabam, Southern Illinois (Sr., 3.72, Health Education)

Third-Team
Kirsten Andrews, U.S. Naval Academy (Jr., 3.88, Quantitative Economics)
Jennifer Barton, Clemson (Sr., 3.91, Biological Sciences)
Brittany Brockman, Baylor (Jr., 3.87, Health Science Studies)
Keira Carlstrom, American Univ. (Sr., 3.51, Mathematics)
Jamie Farley, Fresno State (Sr., 3.97, Mass Communicatin & Journalism)
Naja Ferjan, Brown (Jr., 3.94, Neuroscience)
Amber Ferner, Purdue (Grad., 3.63, Veterinary Medicine)
Jenny Green, Nebraska (So., 3.83, Advertising)
Katie Gwyther, Quinnipiac (Sr., 3.65, Occupational Therapy)
Alyson Kohlmeier, Michigan (So., 3.97, Undeclared)
Michelle Kvernmo, Wyoming (Sr., 4.00, Kinesiology and Health Promotion)
Kate Neeper, Southern California (Sr., 3.98, International Relations and Spanish)
Penny Splichal, Arkansas (Sr., 3.87, Recreation)
Melissa Stewart, Duquesne (Sr., 3.97, Health Management Systems)