FAIRBANKS, AK – Several Alaska Nanook student-athletes garnered recognition for their prowess in the classroom, being selected to various At-Large Academic teams as announced Thursday.
The College Sports Information Directors of America picked men’s hockey senior Dion Knelsen for the University Division District 8 First Team, while women’s skiing senior Julia Pierson was chosen to the College Division District 8 Second Team. Men’s skiing transfer Lex Treinen was also listed on the College Division District 8 First Team.
Knelsen and Treinen are now forwarded to the national ballot and are eligible to receive CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American honors, which will be announced in June.
Pierson doubled up on her academic accolades as she and ten of her skiing teammates and five rifle team members were selected to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s Academic At-Large team.
The list included women’s skiers Theresia Schnurr, Elisabeth Angeles, Aurelia Korthauer, Anna Coulter, men’s skiers Alex Morris, Eirk Soderstrom, Ian Wilkinson, Einar Often, John Parry, Ray Sabo), and rifle shooters Ida Petersen, Patrik Sartz, Taylor Beard, Charles Whitmer, and Billy Galligan.
Pierson, Coulter, Angeles, Often, Parry, Petersen, Sartz and Whitmer were all repeat selections from the 2009 GNAC Academic At-Large team, while the others were all first-time honorees.