The Aurora University Spartan women’s soccer team had two players named to the CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine District V Academic All-District teams. To be considered for the honor, the nominated student-athletes are required to maintain a minimum 3.30 cumulative grade point average throughout their academic career at AU.
Spartans named to the 2009 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District V College
Division Women’s Soccer Teams are senior midfielder Nikki Counsell (Oconomowoc, WI/Oconomowoc H.S.) and sophomore forward Haley Pschirrer (Peoria, IL/Peoria Notre Dame H.S.). The team is selected by the district’s sports information directors.
Counsell and Pschirrer were both selected as third-team members by the region’s sports information directors. Counsell is a double major in elementary education and Spanish. In 2008, she was also selected as a third-team CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine academic all-district recipient. She was a 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009 Northern Athletics Conference Scholar-Athlete, 2006 and 2007 NAC All-Conference and 2006
NAC All-Rookie Team. On the season she has four goals and two assists, with one game-winning goal.
Pschirrer is a pre-nursing major. She was a 2008-2009 Northern Athletics Conference Scholar-Athlete, First-Team All-Conference and NAC All-Freshman Team. On the season, Pschirrer leads the Spartans with 18 goals, 42 points, four game-winning goals and also has six assists.
The Spartans are currently 14-5 overall and 2009 Northern Athletics Conference Champions with an 10-1 record. AU will be the #1 seed and host throughout the upcoming NAC Tournament. Next action for the Spartan women's soccer team comes on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, when they host the semi-final round of the NAC Women's Soccer Tournament. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. on Vago Field against a team to be determined after the opening round games.
The ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District teams are selected by CoSIDA member sports information directors within the district based on the student-athletes’ academic prowess while being a steady influence on their respective athletic field.