AUSTIN, Texas - On Tuesday afternoon the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) released the 2019 Academic All-America teams for men's and women's soccer. Among the honorees were a trio of Falcons with
Brooke Firestone picking up First Team honors and both
Luke Groothoff and
Cooper Robbins earning Second Team honors.
Firestone earns her second-straight Academic All-American laurels after being named Third Team last season. The Second Team Academic All-American honors for Groothoff and Robbins are the first of their careers.
Senior
Brooke Firestone claimed her second-straight CoSIDA Academic All-American honor after being named a Third Team Academic All-American last season. In her final campaign with the Falcons, Firestone has put together a stellar season, notching 19 goals and adding four assists. She was also named the MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight season. She has helped the Falcons to an overall record of 21-1-2 and a trip to program's 13th Final Four. In the classroom, Firestone carries a 3.85 cumulative grade point average as a math major with a teaching certification.
Senior
Cooper Robbins picked up his first Academic All-American honor after being named to the Academic All-District team in each of the last two seasons. Playing on Messiah's backline for four years, Robins has put together a fine career for the Falcons. The 2019 MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Year anchored a defense this season that allowed just 16 goals on the season for a 0.70 goals against average. With Robbins starting all 23 matches, Messiah was the top defense in the conference and ranked as the 15th best in NCAA Division III this season. A senior biology major, Robbins holds a 3.85 cumulative grade-point average.
Sophomore forward
Luke Groothoff earned his first Academic All-American honor after a carrying a 4.00 grade point average through his freshman year as a Biopsychology major. After missing the start to this season due to injury, Groothoff jumped right back into the starting line-up in a new position. Groothoff bounced around slightly, holding possession in the midfield for the Flacons while also finding dangerous moments in the attacking third with five goals and a pair of assists. With the honor, Groothoff becomes the first Messiah sophomore to earn Academic All-American honors since Kayla Deckert (women's soccer) in 2014.
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 Academic All-District and All-American honorees can be
seen here.
