November 4, 2004

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . Ten Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) student-athletes were named to the Academic All-District VII College Division Soccer Teams selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and announced on Thursday. The Conference honorees include five female and five male student-athletes.

Women’s players earning First Team Academic All-District VII honors include Buena Vista University defenders Jodi Coleman (Denison, Iowa/Denison-Schleswig) and Melissa Riddle (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sand Creek), Central College midfielder Jami Wheelock (Zearing, Iowa/Colo-NESCO) and Loras College forward Michelle Wieser (Dubuque, Iowa/Senior). Luther College forward Katie Pettigrew (Farminton, N.M./Farminton) was named to the Academic All-District VII Second Team.

Men’s players earning Academic All-District VII honors include Buena Vista University defender Eric Saxton (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine), Loras College midfielder Nick Sullivan (Waukee, Iowa/Dowling), Luther College defender Jeremiah Reinkoester (Independence, Iowa/Independence) and forward Eric Henderson (Clive, Iowa/Valley), and Wartburg College forward Verne Houston (Omaha, Neb./Benson). Only a First Team was selected on the men’s side.

Coleman is a sophomore business education major with a 4.0 grade point average. Riddle is a junior exercise science major with a 3.982 GPA. Wheelock is a senior history/international studies major with a 3.92 GPA. Wieser is a senior sports management major with a 3.739 GPA. Pettigrew is a health/physical education major with a 3.26 GPA.

Saxton is a sophomore management/entrepreneurship major with a 4.0 GPA. Sullivan is a senior biology major with a 3.9 GPA. Reinkoester is a senior math major with a 3.89 GPA. Henderson is a senior physics major with a 3.96 GPA. Houston is a senior business administration major with a 3.294 GPA.

Eleven student-athletes were named to each Team and members of the First Team move on to the national Academic All-America® ballot. The men’s Academic All-America® Team is scheduled to be announced on Monday, November 22 and the women’s Team is scheduled to be announced on Tuesday, November 23.

To be eligible for selection to the Academic All-District 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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