May 8, 2003

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA . . . Twelve Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference student-athletes, eight softball players and four baseball players, were named to the Verizon Academic All-District VII College Division Teams in their respective sports today. The Verizon Academic All-District Team is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Three of the 12 IIAC student-athletes earned First Team honors. In softball, Buena Vista University designated player Katie Richardson (Storm Lake, Iowa/Storm Lake HS) and Upper Iowa University shortstop Chyanne Kleve (Waucoma, Iowa/Turkey Valley HS) earned First Team honors. In baseball, Cornell College pitcher Matt Loptien (Littleton, Colo./Summit HS) was a First Team selection.

Richardson, an athletic training major, Kleve, a criminology major, and Loptien, a biochemistry/molecular biology major, will be placed on the Verizon Academic All-America® ballot. The Verizon Academic All-America® Softball Team will be announced on Thursday, May 29. The Verizon Academic All-America® Baseball Team will be announced on Tuesday, May 27. Loptien was named to the Verizon Academic All-America® Second Team selection in soccer earlier this year.

Joining Richardson and Kleve on the Verizon Academic All-District VII Softball Team are Coe College pitcher Lindsay Chase (Milo, Iowa/Indianola HS) and outfielder Shalyn Swartout (Sioux City, Iowa/North HS), Luther College infielder Nicole Vermett (Harvard, Ill./Harvard HS), Simpson College pitcher Kate Brandt (Coquitlan, B.C./Pinetree HS) and catcher Sara Kahler (Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos HS) and Wartburg College pitcher Stephanie Rasmussen (Audubon, Iowa/Audubon HS). Chase (a public accounting/managerial accounting/ business administration major), Vermett (an accounting/economics major) and Kahler (a history major) were named to the Second Team. Swartout (a public relations/psychology major), Brandt (a biology major) and Rasmussen (a communication design major) were named to the Third Team.

Joining Loptien on the Verizon Academic All-District VII Baseball Team are Buena Vista University infielder Brian Ricken (Haverhill, Iowa/Marshalltown HS), Upper Iowa University outfielder James Scherf (St. Olaf, Iowa/Central Elkader Community HS) and Wartburg College infielder Greg Torgerson (Independence, Iowa/Independence HS). All three student-athletes were named to the Second Team. Ricken is a biology major, Scherf is a fitness major and Torgerson is a business administration major.

To be eligible for selection to the Verizon Academic All-District Team and the Verizon Academic All-America® Team, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing, be a starter or key reserve and possess at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).

District VII College Division includes NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA schools in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

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