Greenwood, IN - The 2014 Capital One Academic All-District Soccer Teams, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America,
were released on Thursday with Messiah's
Kayla Deckert,
Marisa Weaver,
Benji Kennel, and
Danny Brandt among the honorees.
All four Falcons earned the accolade for the first time in their careers.
Weaver, a Nursing major, leads the Falcons with 10 assists and is second on the team with 14 goals. She is also tied with
Nikki Elsaesser for the team lead in game-winning goals (5). Her 38 total points are already a career-high as she's become a dynamic weapon for the No. 1-ranked Falcons.
Like Weaver, Deckert is a formidable member of the Messiah team, but mostly on the other side of the field. As an outside back she's contributed heavily to the Falcons' 14 shutouts and miniscule 0.22 goals against average. Deckert has also proven to be a capable two-way player, picking up two goals and four assists. She is an Education major at Messiah.
On the men's side, Brandt has collected seven goals and four assists en route to becoming a major offensive weapon in just his second season. The Sport Management major has two game-winners and carries a .600 shot on goal percentage for the No. 1-ranked men.
Kennel, a Spanish Business major, has three goals and a single assist on the year and often serves as the unsung hero on both sides of the ball; Kennel has patroled a midfield that supports an offense (3.24 goals per game) and defense (0.35 goals against) that is among the best in the nation.
Both the men (16-0-1) and women (17-0-1) are entering the final regular-season weekend before seeding is completed for next week's Commonwealth Championship Tournament.
About the Capital One Academic Honor
Each year, CoSIDA elects Academic All-District members across NCAA Division I, II, III, and "College Division." The College Division is comprised of NAIA, two-year, and Canadian student-athletes. Student-athletes are nominated by current CoSIDA members—usually an institution's Sports Information Director— and must carry at least 3.30 cumulative grade point average (GPA). Nominated student-athletes must also be of sophomore athletic eligibility and be significant contributors to the success of their team.
Those selected as First Team Academic All-District will be eligible for the All-American team to be selected later in the season. Since 2011,
Capital One has sponsored both the All-District and All-American awards.
A complete list of the Messiah's all-time All-District and All-American honorees can be
seen here.
