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• 2018-19 Academic All-America® Teams and Honorees
• Gary Shorrow of Point Headlines 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-America® NAIA Men's Soccer Teams
Repeat Selection Bethany Balcer of Spring Arbor Headlines 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-America® NAIA Women's Soccer Teams
Bethany Balcer
Spring Arbor University
NAIA Men's and Women's Soccer Release: PDF | doc
AUSTIN, Texas – Senior Bethany Balcer of Spring Arbor University headlines the 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-America® NAIA women's soccer team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The NAIA Google Cloud Academic All-America® program is financially supported by the NAIA national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2018-19 NAIA Goggle Cloud Academic All-America® teams.
A forward for the Cougars, Balcer has cemented her name as one of the greatest women’s soccer players in Spring Arbor and NAIA history. For the fourth consecutive season, Balcer was recognized as the Crossroads League Player of the Year after helping guide SAU to its eighth straight regular season title and ninth tournament championship in as many years. She held lead the Cougars to four semifinal appearances in the NAIA National Tournament.
The senior from Hudsonville, Michigan, ranks fifth in the NAIA in points (64) and sixth in goals (31) while finishing tied for second in match-winning goals (10). Balcer, who holds a 3.69 GPA in biology, caps her Spring Arbor career with 129 goals, which ranks as fifth-most all-time in the history of the NAIA. Balcer is a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-America® selection after being named to the first team in 2016 and 2017.
Merle Bublitz of Morningiside College (Iowa) and Kelsey Mirts (Columbia (Mo.) College) were also repeat CoSIDA Academic All-America® first team selections. Bubliyz boasts a 4.0 GPA in biology and mathematics, while Mirts has a 3.94 GPA in nursing. Georgia Gwinnett College’s Ellinor Bertilsson, who has a 4.0 GPA as business major, moved up to the Google Cloud Academic All-America® first team as the senior was named to the second team in 2017.
Nine different Google Cloud Academic All-America® first team selections have 4.0 GPAs and as a group, they averaged a 3.96 GPA.
2018 Academic All-America® Women's Soccer Team – NAIA
| FIRST TEAM |
|
|
|
|
|
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA. |
Major |
| GK |
Ashley Kambeitz |
Cumberland University |
Sr. |
4 |
Accounting / Marketing |
| D |
Audrey Gant |
Johnson & Wales University (Fla.) |
Gr. |
4 |
Sports, Ent. & Event Management |
| D |
Heidi Giles |
University of Mobile |
Jr. |
4 |
Business / Accounting |
| D |
Abby Meyer |
Columbia College (Mo.) |
So. |
4 |
Nursing |
| D |
Aubriana Schneider |
Martin Methodist College |
Sr. |
4 |
Pre-Veterinary |
| M |
Mariah Aplin |
Cumberland University |
Sr. |
3.95 |
Psychology |
| M |
Ellinor Bertilsson (2) |
Georgia Gwinnett College |
Sr. |
4 |
Business |
| M |
Merle Bublitz (1) |
Morningside College |
Sr. |
4 |
Biology / Mathematics |
| M |
Maria Deeter |
Concordia University (Neb.) |
Sr. |
3.99 |
Biology |
| M |
Lakin Walls |
Campbellsville University |
Jr. |
4 |
Biology |
| F |
Bethany Balcer (1,#) |
Spring Arbor University |
Sr. |
3.69 |
Biology |
| F |
Kelsey Mirts (1) |
Columbia College (Mo.) |
Jr. |
3.94 |
Nursing |
| F |
Taylor Mulder |
Siena Heights University |
Sr. |
4 |
Biology |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| SECOND TEAM |
|
|
|
|
|
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA. |
Major |
| GK |
Caitlyn Aaron |
Embry-Riddle University (Ariz.) |
Jr. |
3.92 |
Security & Intell. / Forensic Psych |
| D |
Stina Andersson |
Georgia Gwinnett College |
Sr. |
3.73 |
Psychology |
| D |
Aubrey Feipel |
Grace College |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Accounting |
| D |
Kendelle Knapp |
Webber International University |
Sr. |
4 |
Criminal Justice Management |
| D |
Danielle Toren |
Taylor University |
Jr. |
4 |
Management / Systems |
| M |
Holly Ross |
Embry-Riddle University (Ariz.) |
Sr. |
4 |
Computer Engineering |
| F |
Savannah Jackson |
Johnson & Wales University (Fla.) |
So. |
3.8 |
Criminal Justice |
| F |
Riley Martinson |
Embry-Riddle University (Ariz.) |
So. |
3.9 |
Electrical Engineering |
| F |
Kathryn Reitz |
Saint Ambrose University |
Jr. |
4 |
Nursing |
Google Cloud Academic All-America® of the Year: Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor University
(1) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division first team selection in 2017
(2) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division second team selection in 2017
(#) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division first team selection in 2016
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael MacEachern, Young Harris College | Google Cloud Academic All-America® Co-Director for Publicity
mfmaceachern@yhc.edu | (706) 379-5106
Aaron Sagraves, Cornerstone University | Google Cloud Academic All-America® Coordinator of Publicity
aaron.sagraves@cornerstone.edu) | (616) 977-5415