AUSTIN, Texas – The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on Thursday morning that Corban University's men's soccer players Daniel Fredrickson (Boise, Idaho) and Kellen Luey (Beaverton, Ore.) were selected as Capital One CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-Americans. For both players, this award marks their first-ever CoSIDA Academic All-American selection, and Fredrickson and Luey are the only men's soccer players from the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) to garner the pristine academic/athletic distinction.
With two players on the Capital One CoSIDA 2014 Academic All-America® First Team, Corban is the only school in the NAIA to achieve such an accomplishment.
"Daniel and Kellen are determined, bright, and motivated young men who have bright futures ahead of them," stated Corban head coach Aaron Lewis. "As a University, we are extremely proud of their accomplishments as it shows two shining examples of balanced student-athletes excelling both on the field and in their studies."
The 11-member Capital One Academic All-America® College Division Men's Soccer First Team has an average GPA of 3.89, which includes two student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA. There are also six members of the First Team with a GPA of 3.90 or higher. In order to qualify for CoSIDA Academic All-American status, student-athletes must earn CoSIDA Academic All-District honors first, meaning that they must be one of the key players on their respective teams, start in the majority of their matches, and have a high GPA. Sports Information Directors from all across the country nominate the student-athletes for CoSIDA recognition, and after the nomination process is complete, they then vote for the best candidates, based off of athletic statistics and academic achievements, as the award-winners.
Fredrickson, who is experiencing a career-best year during his senior campaign with the Warriors, boasts a 3.96 cumulative GPA as an Accounting major. While serving as the key left defender on the Corban back line throughout the 2014 campaign, Fredrickson racked up a career-best three goals scored and also dished out one assist. Not only a dangerous weapon on set pieces offensively for the Navy and Gold, but he was solid defensively as well, helping Corban accumulate a goals-against-average of 1.26 and eight shutouts during the season. In particular, the Warrior defense was stellar in its two CCC Tournament games, shutting out top-seeded Concordia, 2-0, while allowing just a penalty-kick goal against Northwest in the thrilling CCC Tournament Championship overtime victory this past weekend, 2-1. Moreover, Fredrickson is a three-time CCC Academic All-Conference honoree and received CoSIDA Academic All-District plaudits earlier this season.
Luey, who owns a cumulative 4.00 GPA as a Business Administration major with a concentration in Accounting and Finance, has been another key piece to Corban's team success throughout this 2014 season. While playing in 19 matches and starting in 18 as a junior, he's consistently shut down opposing team's top attackers. Not venturing into the attack on too many occasions, Luey has been important in the Warriors retaining possession on the pitch and regaining possession after it is lost. His defensive efforts have seen Corban tally eight shutouts on the year with a goals-against-average of 1.26. Now a two-time CCC Academic All-Conference award-winner and CoSIDA Academic All-District recipient, Luey looks to continue his success both on the field and in the classroom.
For a complete list of the 2014 men's soccer CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, click here.
Corban (12-7-1), who is the only CCC men's soccer team to qualify for the 2014 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship Opening Round, travels to Clinton, Iowa for a match against No. 2-seeded Ashford University (10-1-6). For those not traveling to Iowa for the game, be sure to come to the Emitte Center in Schimmel Hall on Saturday to watch the match via the live video stream on the big screen with other Warrior supporters! The room will open up at 10:30 a.m. and the match is set to kickoff at 11 a.m. PST.
