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2018-19 Academic All-America® Teams and Honorees
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Christina Klouda of Cumberlands Headlines Google Cloud Academic All-America® NAIA At-Large Teams
CoSIDA would like to thank 2001-02 Academic All-America of the Year recipient Stacey Dales (Oklahoma women's basketball) for her interviews with the 2018-19 honorees. Dales went on to a successful professional basketball career in the WNBA and is currently a reporter for the NFL Network. Follow her @StaceyDales. Thanks to CoSIDA corporate partner Blinder for providing the technology to produce the interviews.
Women's Swimming Christina Klouda of Cumberlands Named As 2018-19 Google Cloud NAIA Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year
NAIA Academic All-America® of the Year: PDF |
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AUSTIN, Texas – Senior women’s swimmer Christina Klouda of the University of the Cumberlands has been named as the 2018-19 Google Cloud Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for the NAIA, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The Google Cloud Academic All-America® NAIA program is financially supported by the NAIA national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2018-19 NAIA Google Cloud Academic All-America® teams.
This is the first year the Google Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for the NAIA has been recognized.
A senior biology and chemistry major from Knoxville, Tennessee, Klouda carried a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average. Klouda was twice named to the Google Cloud Academic All-America® at-large team and was twice recognized as the Google Cloud Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year in the women’s at-large program.
“I am beyond honored to receive this award that not only emphasizes the commitment that I have made to athletics over the years, but also the importance I have continually placed upon my education,” said Klouda. “None of this would have been possible without the constant support and encouragement from my coaches, professors, family and of course the amazing staff at the University of the Cumberlands. I am forever grateful for the many sacrifices these incredible individuals have made on my behalf and I hope I have made them proud and continue to do so in the future.”
The Patriot swimmer is a four-time Mid-South Conference Swimmer of the Year and the first swimmer in conference history to win 12 individual conference titles. This year, Klouda captured a pair of NAIA national titles, winning the 200 backstroke (2:02.26) as well as being a member of Cumberlands’ 400 medley relay (3:48.58). She also finished runner-up in the 200 IM and was a seven-time NAIA All-American in 2019. The MSC named Klouda the 2018-19 Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
“I couldn’t be more proud of Christina for this award,” said Cumberlands head men’s and women’s swimming coach Eric Skelly. “I know how hard she works both in and out of the pool and for her to receive this honor is amazing. She has been incredible role model for future Patriots.”
Over her four-year career, Klouda has been recognized as an NAIA All-American 22 times and the four-time Mid-South Conference Swimmer of the Year. Klouda, who set five different records for the Patriots, was named the MSC’s Swimmer of the Week nine times and the NAIA Swimmer of the Month twice. She was twice named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and three-time Mid-South Conference All-Academic pick.
“Christina has epitomize the word student-athlete with her drive, determination, and leadership,” said Cumberlands Athletic Director. “She has been a great ambassador for the University of the Cumberlands and is very deserving of this accomplishment.”
Klouda is currently enrolled in medical school at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee.
The CoSIDA Division III Academic All-America® of the Year award winner will be announced Tuesday (July 30) followed by the Division II winner Wednesday (July 31), the Division I honoree Thursday (August 1) and the College Division winner Friday (August 2).
Klouda won the 200 backstroke at the 2018-19 NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championship
Klouda and her teammates won the 400 medley relay at the NAIA National Championship.
2018-19 Sport-By-Sport NAIA Academic All-America Team Member of the Year Award Winners
| Name |
Sport |
Class |
Major, GPA |
| Jimmy Aschenbrenner, Morningside |
Men’s At-Large |
Sr. |
Biology/Chemistry, 4.00 |
| Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor* |
Women’s Soccer |
Sr. |
Biology, 3.69 |
| Grace Blomstedt, Lindsey Wilson |
Volleyball |
Sr. |
Communication, 4.00 |
| Olivia Brees, Baker* |
Softball |
Sr. |
Elementary Education, 3.88 |
| Bart Hiscock, Hastings |
Men’s Basketball |
Jr. |
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 4.00 |
| Christina Klouda, Cumberlands* |
Women’s At-Large |
Sr. |
Biology/Chemistry, 4.00 |
| Kendall Knapke, Indiana Tech |
Women’s Basketball |
Sr. |
Accounting and Business Management, 4.00 |
| Samantha Liermann, Corncordia (Neb.)* |
Women’s Track/XC |
Sr. |
Recreation and Sport Studies/Business Administration, 3.99 |
| Josh McAllister, Concordia (Neb.) |
Men’s Track/XC |
Sr. |
Pre-medicine, 4.00 |
| Glen McClain, Indiana Tech |
Baseball |
Gr. |
MBA, 3.93 (G), 3.93 (UG) |
| Gary Shorrow, Point |
Men’s Soccer |
Sr. |
Business Administration-Accounting, 4.00 |
| Trent Solsma, Morningside |
Football |
Sr. |
American History/World History, 3.68 |
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael MacEachern, Young Harris College | Google Cloud Academic All-America® Co-Director for Publicity
mfmaceachern@yhc.edu | (706) 379-5106