PORTLAND, Ore. – Fourteen Seattle Pacific women's soccer student-athletes, including a league-high 11 repeat selections, were recognized as members of the 2020-21 Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic Team that was announced Tuesday.
Sophia Chilczuk
Over half of the players on the 26-woman SPU roster were recognized as academic all-stars and seven of those not honored weren't eligible due to their freshman or transfer status. The GNAC academic teams are presented by Barnes & Noble College.
Fifteen players overall were honored by the GNAC for the third time and three of those were Falcons.
Claire Neder
Sophia Chilczuk is an applied human biology major from Kent, Washington (Kentridge HS) with a 3.91 grade point average,
Claire Neder from Spokane, Wash. (Central Valley HS) has a 3.71 GPA in interior design and nursing major
Kate Veenhuizen from West Seattle High School has a 3.63. They all appeared on two previous GNAC academic teams.
Seattle Pacific's top grade point average belongs to
Mariah Alexander, who is one of four players in the conference with a perfect 4.00. A junior defender from Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash., Alexander studies business administration. She was named to the academic squad for the second straight season.
Kate Veenhuizen
Half of the featured Falcons boast lofty grade point averages above 3.80, including junior
Abbie Anderson from R.A. Long High School in Longview, Wash. The two-time honoree compiled a 3.94 GPA in a physiology curriculum.
Joining Alexander and Anderson among the ranks of SPU's second-time selections were:
Ava Giovanola (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline HS),
Madison Ibale (Kent, Wash./Kentridge HS),
Taylor Menkens (Valley Catholic HS/Beaverton, Ore.),
Kaylie Nelson (Bend HS/Bend, Ore.),
Makena Rietz (Walla Walla, Wash./Walla Walla HS) and
Riley Travis (Seattle, Wash./Ballard HS).
Mariah Alexander
A trio of Falcons' sophomores garnered All-GNAC academic acclaim in their inaugural year of eligibility:
Marissa Bankey (Central Valley HS/Spokane, Wash.),
Kaitlynn Knocke (Marysville Getchel HS/Marysville, Wash.) and
Ally Veenhuizen (West Seattle HS/Seattle, Wash.).
A total of 85 student-athletes were named to the 2020-21 GNAC Women's Soccer Academic Team.
To be eligible for the GNAC scholars' squad, student-athletes were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 and be in at least their second year of competition at the university.
The soccer season for the current academic year was moved from its traditional fall position to the spring due to the pandemic. An NCAA Division II Tournament will not be conducted so no national champion will be crowned. Nor will there be a GNAC season as several schools opted out of competing this year.
The SPU women start the season on March 27 at home versus Puget Sound. Kick-off is 1:30 p.m. at Interbay Stadium, but spectators may not be allowed to attend. All home games will be available for viewing live online at:
www.youtube.com/user/SPUsports
Falcons on the 2020-21 GNAC Women's Soccer Academic Team
Name Academic Major Year GPA Hometown
Mariah Alexander* Business Administration Jr. 4.00 Sammamish, WA
Abbie Anderson* Physiology Jr. 3.94 Longview, WA
Marissa Bankey Nursing So. 3.26 Spokane, WA
Sophia Chilczuk** Physiology Sr. 3.91 Kent, WA
Ava Giovanola* Economics Jr. 3.86 Sammamish, WA
Madison Ibale* Visual Communication Jr. 3.87 Kent, WA
Kaitlynn Knocke Ecology So. 3.36 Marysville, WA
Taylor Menkens* Business Administration Jr. 3.84 Beaverton, OR
Claire Neder** Interior Design Sr. 3.71 Spokane, WA
Kaylie Nelson* Applied Human Biology Jr. 3.52 Bend, OR
Makena Rietz* Sociology Jr. 3.62 Walla Walla, WA
Riley Travis* Criminal Justice Jr. 3.61 Seattle, WA
Ally Veenhuizen Nursing So. 3.83 Seattle, WA
Kate Veenhuizen** Nursing Sr. 3.63 Seattle, WA
* number of previous years on academic team
