GREENWOOD, Ind. - On Thursday afternoon the 2019 Academic All-District Men's and Women's Soccer Teams, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), were announced. Among the honorees were four Messiah student-athletes with
Brooke Firestone and
Maddie Kohl representing the Falcons' women's team and
Cooper Robbins and
Luke Groothoff selected on the men's side.
Both the Messiah men's and women's teams are in the middle of the MAC Commonwealth Tournament with the men advancing to the Championship Game on Saturday afternoon and the women competing in the semifinals this evening against Albright.
The honors for Firestone and Robbins are the second of their careers after being named CoSIDA Academic All-District last season. Kohl and Groothoff picked up their first-ever Academic All-District nods.
Brooke Firestone claimed her second-straight CoSIDA Academic All-District after being named a Third Team Academic All-American last season. The senior has put together a stellar final campaign in Grantham. Just earlier this week, Firestone was named the Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season. This season she's scored a team-high 18 goals and dished out four assists to lead the Falcons to a 16-1-1 overall record and the top seed in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament. As a Math major with a teaching certification, Firestone carries a 3.85 cumulative grade point average.
Junior
Maddie Kohl earned her first-career CoSIDA Academic All-District honor this season after carrying a 3.85 cumulative grade point average as an Accounting major. Kohl just recently earned Second Team All-MAC Commonwealth honors after a strong junior regular season that saw the Lancaster, Pa. native tally six goals while dishing out eight assists from the midfield. Kohl's Second Team honor this season was the second-straight All-Conference honor of her career.
On the men's side,
Cooper Robbins earned his second-straight Academic All-District nod after a strong senior campaign on the Falcons' defensive line. Robbins has started all 19 games on defense for a Messiah team that is allowing just over half a goal a game at a 0.53 GAA, the eighth-best mark in the country. Earlier this morning, Robbins was honored as the MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Year and picked up his fourth-straight All-Conference honors. A senior biology major, Robbins holds a 3.85 cumulative grade-point average.
Sophomore forward
Luke Groothoff earned his first Academic All-District honor after a carrying a 4.00 grade point average through his freshman year as a Biopsychology major. Groothoff was named a Second Team All-American last season (as a defender) and after missing the start to this season due to injury has jumped right back into the starting line-up in a new position. Groothoff has bounced around slightly, holding possession in the midfield for the Flacons while also finding dangerous moments in the attacking end with five goals and a pair of assists. Groothoff earned his second All-Conference honor this morning with a First Team accolade.
About the CoSIDA 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.
A complete list of the Messiah's all-time All-District and All-American honorees can be
seen here.
