Seven Lakers Named Academic All-District Honorees

CHICAGO – Roosevelt had seven student-athletes named to the men's and women's soccer Academic All-District teams sponsored by College Sports Communicators, the organization announced last week.

It is the first time in school history, Roosevelt has been a member of the CSC and nominated players for this prestigious honor. Representing women's soccer on the all-district team were sophomore defender Mackenzie Alvarez, sophomore goalkeeper Roxana Herrera and junior midfielder Paola Macias. For men's soccer, the honorees were sophomore forward Davide Comai, senior midfielder Eduardo Hernandez, junior defender Gabriel Koenig, and sophomore forward Oskar Schuster.

Alvarez was a second-team all-conference defender who led the Lakers backline as the only defender to start all 16 games this season for Roosevelt. Herrera made 58 saves while starting 13 of the 14 games in which she appeared this season and setting the school record with a .753 save percentage. Macias was named a captain for the Lakers this season and scored three goals while assisting on another in 15 appearances.

Comai scored three goals in his first full season as a member of the Lakers while playing in 17 games this season for Roosevelt. Hernandez scored three times and assisted on three goals as a main attacker on the wing for Roosevelt when healthy this season. Schuster tied for the team lead with four goals and also led the Lakers with six assists and 14 points. He scored the only Lakers goal of regulation in the CCAC Tournament final against Olivet Nazarene.

Koenig is the only Lakers player to make it through the process to be placed on the Academic All-America ballot this season. The first-team defender from Germany was a critical member of the Lakers defense that limited opponents to just over one goal per game this season. He started all 18 games for Roosevelt and played nearly every minute of every match this season. The two Academic All-America teams for men's soccer will be announced by CSC on Dec. 19 at 11 a.m.

The Academic All-America program is the longest running and premier award for athletic and academic success across championship college sports in all three NCAA divisions, the NAIA, two-year colleges and Canadian institutions. It was established in 1952 and the honorees are nominated by CSC members then All-American honors are voted on by the membership as well.

In order to be named to the Academic All-District teams, a student-athlete must not only hold at least a 3.5 grade point average, but also must have either appeared in 90 percent of a team's games or started 2/3 of a team's contests. The list of all-district honorees is then vetted by the CSC committee, who send out a ballot for All-American honors to the membership.