Tuesday, March 16, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – Exemplifying student-athlete success on the pitch and in the classroom, Seattle Pacific junior defender Mariah Alexander leads 86 selections to the 2020-21 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer All-Academic Team, presented by Barnes & Noble College.

A business administration major, Alexander is among four selections with a perfect 4.00 GPA. A two-time All-Academic selection, the Sammamish, Washington, native played in 19 matches and started in 18 for the Falcons in 2019. Alexander helped anchor the SPU defense as it ranked second in the conference in goals allowed (20), goals against average (0.98) and shutouts (seven). She also finished with two goals, two assists and six points.

Two of the other three student-athletes with 4.00 GPAs are from Montana State Billings in senior Rachel Lythgoe, a public relations major, and sophomore Kiley Sandow, a health and human performance major. The last 4.00 GPA belongs to Northwest Nazarene sophomore Jordyn Gifford, who is majoring in social work.

The four are among 31 selections with a cumulative GPA of 3.80 or higher and 15 student-athletes with a GPA of 3.90 or higher.

The Women’s Soccer All-Academic Team has 38 repeat selections, including 15 three-time selections in Central Washington’s Sophia Keenan, Emily Russell and Emily Thomson; Montana State Billings’ Lythgoe, Erinn Harder and Hallie Vervair; Northwest Nazarene’s Rikki Myers and Jade Zimmer; Seattle Pacific’s Sophia Chilczuk, Claire Neder and Kate Veenhuizen; Western Oregon’s Alexie Morris and Malia Napoleon and Western Washington’s Natalie Dierickx and Grace Eversaul.

Central Washington led the conference with 17 All-Academic selections, nine of which have a 3.70 GPA or better, while Northwest Nazarene and Seattle Pacific had 14 selections apiece.

To qualify for the GNAC All-Academic Teams, presented by Barnes & Noble College, nominees must be of sophomore eligibility or greater, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 or greater, be a letterwinner on their team and must be in their second year at the nominating institution.

2020-21 GNAC WOMEN'S SOCCER ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Presented by Barnes & Noble College