Sixteen Wilmington University fall student-athletes were recognized by the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference office on Wednesday as the conference introduced its All-Academic Team for the 2014 fall season. A record number of 218 student-athletes from the 14 conference schools across six different sports have earned a place on the list.

Among the sports representing Wilmington on the All-Academic Team, women’s soccer led the way with six individuals named to the list. Volleyball and men’s soccer earned three players each to the academic squad while both the men’s and women’s cross country teams landed two members.

In order to be named to the CACC All-Academic team, recipients must have participated in a CACC Championship sport in the fall. They must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have been a student-athlete at their current school for at least two semesters, and achieve a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.50 or higher through the spring/summer semester.

Cross Country’s graduate student Sarabeth Oppermann was the lone Wildcat representative to be honored for a third time, earning a perfect 4.0 GPA while studying for her Masters of Education in School Counseling. Women’s soccer’s Ashley Kroll and volleyball’s Kaitlin DiGiacinto and Alex Siolos are two-time members of the Fall All-Academic Team.

Representing the women’s soccer team was Kroll’s 3.52 GPA in Elementary Education: K-6, followed by five first time honorees. Shelby Schneeweis (Elementary Education: K-6) earned a 3.94 GPA heading into her final year of school while Kim Richer (Elementary Education: K-6) picked up a 3.82 GPA as a sophomore. Rebecca Sowers (3.76 – General Studies), Kaitlin Atmore (3.69 – Business Management), and Julia Brown (3.67 – Behavioral Science) also earned a spot on the All-Academic Team for the first time.

The volleyball team was had a pair of student-athletes making the list for the second time, as Kaitlin DiGiacinto earned a spot with a 3.88 GPA in Business Management and Alex Siolos earned a spot with a 3.58 GPA in Sports Management. The lone newcomer to the group is sophomore Allison Briley with a perfect 4.00 GPA in Business Management.

The men’s soccer team had a trio of first time honorees, led by Steven O’Connor’s 3.88 GPA in Business Management. Zach Lee gathered a 3.87 GPA in General Studies to earn a spot while Joe Woodley captured a 3.70 GPA in Business to round out the Wildcats.

Tijen Ozcan joins Oppermann on the list for the women’s cross country team, earning a 3.90 GPA while obtaining a M.A. in Secondary Education.

Sophomore Ken Fontal earned a 3.62 GPA in Finance for a spot on the All-Academic Team for the first time while graduate student Mark Hannagan rounds out the men’s cross country team with a 3.58 GPA while obtaining M.A. in Secondary Education.

Across the CACC, 35 student-athletes were named to the team for the third time in their careers while 62 others appear as repeat selections. Women’s soccer tallied the most All-Academic selections by sport with 70 overall while volleyball and men’s soccer registered 39 each. Women’s cross country recorded 30 student-athletes and men’s cross country and women’s tennis added 20 student-athletes each to round out the six sports.

AGATE:

2013 Wilmington University CACC Fall All-Academic Team

Men’s Cross Country:
Ken Fontal                             So.       3.62    Finance
Mark Hannagan                    Gr.       3.58    M.A. Secondary Education   

Women’s Cross Country:
Sarabeth Oppermann**       Gr.       4.00    M.Ed. School Counseling      
Tijen Ozcan                            Gr.       3.90    M.A. Secondary Education   

Men’s Soccer:
Steven O’Connor                   So.       3.88    Business Management        
Zach Lee                                 So.       3.87    General Studies                    
Joe Woodley                           Jr.        3.70    Business                                

Women’s Soccer:
Shelby Schneeweis               Sr.        3.94    Elementary Education K-6 
Kim Richer                             So.       3.82    Elementary Education K-6 
Rebecca Sowers                     Jr.        3.76    General Studies                    
Kaitlin Atmore                       Sr.        3.69    Business Management        
Julia Brown                            Sr.        3.67    Behavioral Science               
Ashley Kroll*                          Jr.        3.52    Elementary Education K-6 

Volleyball:
Allison Briley                          So.       4.00    Business Management        
Kaitlin DiGiacinto*                 Jr.        3.88    Business Management        
Alex Siolos*                            Jr.        3.58    Sports Management            

* - Two-Time Selection
** - Three-Time Selection