College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America Team

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• 2017-18 Academic All-America® Teams and Honorees
• Western State Colorado's Alicja Konieczek Headlines Google Cloud Academic All-America® NCAA Division II Track & Field/Cross Country Teams

Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Standout Alicja Konieczek of Western State Colorado Named Google Cloud NCAA Division II Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year

NCAA Division II Google Cloud Academic All-America® of the Year: PDF  |  doc

AUSTIN, Texas – Junior women’s track & field/cross country performer Alicja Konieczek of Western State Colorado University has been named as the 2017-18 Google Cloud Academic All-America® of the Year for Division II, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
 
The Division II Google Cloud Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2017-18 Division II Academic All-America® teams program. This is the seventh year that CoSIDA has named Division II Academic All-America® teams.
 
Konieczek is the seventh student-athlete to earn the Division II Google Cloud Academic All-America® of the Year and the first women’s track & field/cross country student-athlete to earn the award. Saint Leo University’s women's golfer Marie Coors received the award last year, while Ferris State University quarterback Jason Vander Laan won the award in 2015-16. Clarion University diver Kristin Day captured the award in 2014-15. Women’s basketball player Lauren Battista (Bentley University) collected the honor in 2013-14. Women’s basketball player Kari Daugherty (Ashland University) earned the award in 2012-13 while Bryan Lippincott of the Concordia University, St. Paul baseball team was selected in 2011-12.
 
Konieczek, a native of Zbaszyn, Poland, is a two-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women's Outdoor Track and Field Academic Athlete of the Year recipient, who holds a 3.85 GPA as an exercise and sports science major. She was named to her second consecutive appearance on the Academic All-America® Division II Track & Field/Cross Country Team after earning second-team honors in 2016-17.
 
“I am beyond thankful for the support of my coaches, Jennifer Michel and Lindsey Grasmick, and the larger Western State Colorado University community at large, that has allowed me to succeed not only in athletics but equally in academics,” said Konieczek. “I’m grateful to receive the Google Cloud DII Academic All-America Honor as I feel this award truly reflects Western State’s investment in my academic and athletic wellbeing. Only at Western State do I feel like I can earn an award like this.”
 
The recipient of the Google Cloud Academic All-America® of the Year award for Division II women’s track & field/cross country, Konieczek claimed three individual NCAA Division II national titles during the 2017-18 year and was part of the indoor women’s distance medley national title winning group to give her eight career national titles (indoor mile – 4:48.33; indoor 3,000 meters – 9:29.39; indoor distance medley – 11:19.98; outdoor steeplechase – 9:47.72).
 
"Balancing academics, sports, work and a social life is more than a full-time job,” said Western State Colorado Director of Athletics Miles Van Hee.  “Despite the rigors and battles to be a successful student-athlete, there are few student-athletes who challenge themselves to perform at such a high level in both the classroom and athletic arenas as much as Alicja does. Her dedication and willingness to be the best she can be and make the most of her academic experience here at Western now reflects her most amazing accolade to date as the Google Cloud Academic All-America of the Year for D2. 
 
“We have been honored to have many student-athletes make the at-large team, but Alicja is the first-ever Mountaineer to reap the top honor,” added Van Hee. “This is a very special day and award for Alicja, the Mountaineer athletic department and Western State Colorado University. We are very fortunate to have such an amazing student-athlete represent our University and honored to be associated with such a prestigious award.”
 
Konieczek’s national championship steeplechase time set a new Division II record and Championship Meet record. She has earned 12 All-America honors during her career and was named the Division II National Track Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA last year. Konieczek holds the all-time NCAA Division II record in the indoor mile and holds the school record for the mile, 3,000-meter run, steeplechase and the distance medley relay.
 
"Alicja Konieczek has been a top student and athlete at Western State Colorado University for the past four years,” said Western State Colorado head cross country coach and assistant track & field coach Jennifer Michel. “She strives to do everything to the best of her ability and sets a standard around her that motivates others to do the same. Alicja will leave here as one of the most decorated athletes in University history and we are proud to have her wear the Mountaineer uniform."
 
Cornerstone University’s Kyle Steigenga was named the CoSIDA College Division Academic All-America® of the Year Monday (July 16) while Nebraska Wesleyan University’s Cooper Cook was selected as the Division III honoree Tuesday (July 18). The Google Cloud Division I Academic All-America® of the Year award winner will be announced Thursday (July 19).

2017-18 Sport-by-Sport NCAA Division II Google Cloud Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year Award Winners

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael MacEachern, Young Harris College | Google Cloud Academic All-America® Co-Director for Publicity
mfmaceachern@yhc.edu | (706) 379-5106