By Eric Stock
NORMAL – If three is a crowd, then Illinois State athletics has a crowded field of first-team Academic All-Americans.
Rachel Tejada made the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America First Team last fall. She was joined this spring by two baseball players as Jacob Hendren of LeRoy and Paul DeJong, who were given first-team Capital One Academic All-America honors.
“It’s rare to have a first-team Academic All-American in a team sport,” ISU Athletics Director Larry Lyons said. “We’ve had three this year which is really incredible.”
PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Colleen’s interview with Lyons on WJBC.
Lyons told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin balancing classwork with athletics is a challenge, especially when most athletes are on a faster track to graduation.
“The normal student nowadays, is (usually) on a five-plus, almost six-year path to get through,” Lyons said. “Student athletes, because of satisfactory progress that is designated by the NCAA, plus GPA (grade point average) thresholds, if you don’t have a redshirt year, you are down to four years.”
DeJong graduated in biochemistry and pre-med in May with a 3.76 grade-point average and has since signed with the St. Louis Cardinals after being chosen in the fourth round of the Major League Basebal draft. Hendren holds a 3.83 GPA as a mathematics/pre-med major.
Tejada compiled a 3.41 grade point average in biological sciences while leading the Redbirds to a program record 16 wins and a trip to the NCAA Tournament second round. She also broke Missouri Valley Conference records for goals and assists.
The MVC recently bestowed its President’s Council Academic Award – its highest academic honor – to 13 Redbird athletes. Earning the honor were: Sami King (gymnastics), Katy Winge (women’s basketball), Allie Newsom (soccer), Aryn Newsom (soccer), Erica Halley (swimming and diving), Valerie Jones (swimming and diving), Maggie Kopp (swimming and diving), Samantha Schuckles (swimming and diving), Ashton Nisbet (women’s tennis), Heather Nisbet (women’s tennis), Phyllis Tigges (women’s tennis), Shannon Nemetz (women’s track and field) and Eliza Smith (volleyball).
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].
