TOWSON, Md. — For the first time, the winners of the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year awards will be announced live on ESPNU on Tuesday evening, August 12 at 6:30 p.m. (EST).
Selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the award winners will be announced as part of The Big 12 Conference College Football Preview Show.
The Academic All-American of the Year honor, which began in 1987-88, is awarded to the most outstanding student-athlete of the year and is chosen from the student-athletes who have been awarded Team Member of the Year honors. From over 360,000 student-athletes in the nation, just 816 are selected as Academic All-America Team members each year, 24 are selected as Team Members of the Year and two are named Academic All-America of the Year.
A University Division and a College Division winner will be announced.
Among the leading candidates for the University Division Academic All-America of the Year award are Olympian Rachel Buehler of Stanford (Women’s Soccer), Adam Emmenecker of Drake (Men’s Basketball), All-American lacrosse player Mike Leveille of national champion Syracuse (Men’s At-Large; Lacrosse), All-American tennis player Kristi Miller of Georgia Tech (Women’s At-Large, Tennis), National Player of the Year Candace Parker of NCAA champion Tennessee (Women’s Basketball), All-American Sarah Pavan of Nebraska (Volleyball) and Buster Posey of Florida State (Baseball).
The top candidates for the College Division award include Sue Ackermann of Salisbury (Women’s At-Large, Lacrosse), pitcher Maria Bye of St. Thomas (Softball), Gabe MacDougall of Lynn (Baseball), National Swimmer of the Year Josh Mitchell of Kenyon (Men’s At-Large, Swimming), Sarah Richardson of national champion Wheaton College (Women’s Soccer), National Player of the Year Troy Ruths of NCAA champion Washington (Mo.) University (Men’s Basketball), and Harlon Hill Trophy winner Danny Woodhead of Chadron State (Football).
"With nearly 12,000 student athletes being nominated for Academic All-America each year, and considering the number of athletes competing in intercollegiate sports, to reach the epitome of what it means to be a successful student-athlete and be selected as the best of the best is quite an amazing achievement," said Bentley College's Dick Lipe, CoSIDA Academic All-America chair.
Former recipients of Academic All-America of the Year honors include Rebecca Lobo (1994-95), Peyton Manning (1997-98), Chad Pennington (1999-00), Stacey Dales-Schuman (2001-02) and Emeka Okafor (2003-04). A complete list of the previous recipients of the AAA of the Year award follows.
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For more information about the Academic All-America ® Teams program, please visit
www.cosida.com.
2007-2008 ESPN THE MAGAZINE SPORT-BY-SPORT
ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS OF THE YEAR
University Division
Name Sport Cl. Hometown Major, G.P.A.
Anton Axelsson, Jacksonville Men’s Soccer Sr. Vaxjo, Sweden Psychology & Philosophy, 3.98
Rachel Buehler, Stanford Women’s Soccer Sr. Del Mar, Cal. Human Biology, 4.02
Brandon Cramer, Dayton Football Sr. Toledo, Ohio Pre-Med, 4.00
Adam Emmenecker, Drake Men’s Basketball Sr. Saginaw, Mich. Business, Finance & Mgmt., 3.97
Donovan Kilmartin, Texas Men’s Track Gr. Eagle, Idaho Petro. Engineering, 3.55 (3.33 grad)
April Kubishta, Arizona State Women’s Track Gr. Lake Havasu, Ariz. Non-Degree Grad. Student, 3.79
Mike Leveille, Syracuse Men’s At-Large Sr. Delmar, N.Y. Accounting, 3.87
Kristi Miller, Georgia Tech Women’s At-Large Sr. Marysville, Mich. History, Technology & Society, 4.00
Candace Parker, Tennessee W. Basketball Sr. Naperville, Ill. Sport Management, 3.35
Sarah Pavan, Nebraska Volleyball Sr. Kitchener, Ontario Biochemistry, 4.00
Buster Posey, Florida State Baseball Jr. Leesburg, Ga. Finance, 3.80
Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech Softball Sr. Eagle Rock, Va. Finance, 3.84
College Division
Name Sport Cl. Hometown Major, G.P.A.
Sue Ackermann, Salisbury Women’s At-Large Sr. Sykesville, Md. Exercise Science, 3.91
Rachel Anderson,Illinois Wes. Women’s Track Sr. Clinton, Ill. Business Administration, 3.80
Maria Bye, St.Thomas (Minn.) Softball Sr. Maple Plain, Minn. Biochemistry, 3.93
Jamison Dague, Ohio Wesleyan Men’s Soccer Sr. Bexley, Ohio Politics and Government, 3.96
Kelly Downs, Elizabethtown Volleyball Sr. Airville, Pa. Occupational Therapy, 3.55
Lindsay Ippel, Millikin W. Basketball Sr. Decatur, Ill. Nursing, 3.54
Gabe MacDougall, Lynn Baseball Jr. Oak Run, Cal. Psychology, 4.00
Josh Mitchell, Kenyon Men’s At-Large Sr. Iron Mountain,Mich. Biochemistry, 3.89
Fritz Nugent, Redlands Men’s Track Gr. Tinley Park, Ill. Studio Art, 3.66 (3.95 grad.)
Sarah Richardson,Wheaton (Ill.) Women’s Soccer Sr. Marshall, Mich. Business and Economics, 3.56
Troy Ruths, Washington (Mo.) Men’s Basketball Sr. Sugar Land, Tex. Computer Science, 4.00
Danny Woodhead, Chadron St. Football Sr. North Platte, Neb. Math and Physical Education, 3.72
ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA OF THE YEAR RECIPIENTS
2006-07: Sarah Pavan, Nebraska (Volleyball); Jamie Wolf, Clarion (At-Large)
2005-06: Christine Sinclair, Portland (Soccer); Josh Lamberson, Northwest Missouri St. (Football)
2004-05: Alex Smith, Utah (Football); Carli Dale, Juniata (Volleyball)
2003-04: Emeka Okafor, Connecticut (Basketball); Kristen Shields, Whitworth (Track & Field)
2002-03: Theresa Kulikowski, Utah (Gymnastics); Ashley Rowatt, Kenyon (Swimming)
2001-02: Stacey Dales-Schuman, Oklahoma (Basketball); T.J. Hess, Widener (Football)
2000-01: Ruth Riley, Notre Dame (Basketball); Emily Bloss, Emporia State (Basketball)
1999-00: Chad Pennington, Marshall (Football); Korey Coon, Illinois Wesleyan (Basketball)
1998-99: Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia (Football); Kelly Schade, Simpson (Softball)
1997-98: Peyton Manning, Tennessee (Football): Brad Gray, MIT (Football)
1996-97: Danny Wuerffel, Florida (Football): Julie Roe, Millikin (Basketball)
1995-96* Todd Fuller, North Carolina St. (Basketball); Chris Palmer, St. John's (Minn.) (Football)
1994-95: Rebecca Lobo, Connecticut (Basketball); (tie) Rob Zatechka, Nebraska (Football)
1993-94: Carl Erikson, Oberlin (Tennis)
1992-93: Jim Hansen, Colorado (Football)
1991-92: Tommy Vardell, Stanford (Football)
1990-91: Al Parker, Tennis (Georgia)
1989-90: Alec Kessler, Georgia (Basketball)
1988-89: James Martin, Penn St. (Wrestling)
1987-88: Michael Smith, Brigham Young (Basketball)
* From 1988-1995 only one winner was chosen per year. Beginning in 1996 the format was changed to select one winner per year in each division (college and university).
CONTACT: Dan O’Connell, Towson University
Vice-Chair (Publicity/Communications), Academic All-America Committee
(410) 704-3102 doconnell@towson.edu