(Peru, Neb.) - The 2013 Capital One Academic All-District® At-Large Teams, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), have been released to recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Capital One has been the entitlement rights holder to CoSIDA's Academic All-America teams programs since 2011.
Named to the All-District 6 At-Large First Team were Peru State women's golfers
Jordan Schaardt (Humboldt) and
Katie Potter (Omaha). Schaardt, a senior, has been a member of the Bobcat golf team for three years while Potter finished her fourth year on the team. Schaardt will be playing in the NAIA Women's Golf Championship beginning on Tuesday in Lincoln.
Bobcat head golf coach
Brett Hahn was very pleased with Schaardt and Potter's most recent honors. Hahn said, “Having had the opportunity to work with Schaardt and Potter the past two years has definitely been a pleasure for me. Jordan and Katie have set the standard for all future Bobcat golfers, both in academics and extra-curricular activities. They have shown, through hard work and excellent time management, that you can do many things and still be very successful.”
First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the Capital One Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.
Schaardt became the first Bobcat female golfer to earn the right to participate in the upcoming NAIA championship by winning the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) tournament nearly two weeks ago. The two-time Bobcat golf team captain, was a medalist in numerous meets over her three-year career on the Bobcat golf team. Schaardt was a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete last year and will earn her second honor this spring. In addition, Schaardt was a HAAC Scholar-Athlete and was selected as the HAAC Golfer of the Week several times. On campus, Schaardt is an Alpha Chi member, was on the dean's list eight semesters (includes her time at Southeast Community College), and has been a BrainQuest volunteer. Other activities Schaardt has been a part of include being a youth leadership mentor, track and field coordinator, HTRS elementary literacy volunteer, SENCA Head Start assistant teacher, and serving as a youth basketball coach. Schaardt is an elementary and early childhood education major.
Potter was a medalist in several meets over her four-year career, including being a HAAC First Team All-Conference performer as a junior and receiving MCAC Honorable Mention as a sophomore. Potter was very active on campus, which resulted in her being named as the HAAC's Dr. Leroy Walker Award winner last fall. For three years, Potter was a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and served as a vice president one year. As a part of SAAC, Potter was a three-time Make-A-Difference Day Co-Coordinator and served as NADAA Red Ribbon Festival Coordinator for two years. A dual-sport athlete, Potter played basketball for three years while earning honors in that sport as well. In addition, Potter has been a volunteer for numerous on- and off-campus activities. Finally, Potter will be recognized soon as a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete. Potter is currently a graduate student having completed her degree in sport management in December.
Peru State athletic director
Steve Schneider echoed Hahn's sentiments. Schneider added, “While I have worked more closely with Katie in SAAC and other activities, it is obvious that both Jordan and Katie have shown what a student-athlete can do while in college. I am very proud of them and their efforts while representing Peru State Bobcat athletics.”
The Academic All-District® teams are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada. This is the second year of the expanded Academic All-America® program as CoSIDA moved from recognizing a University Division (Division I) and a College Division (all non-Division I) and has doubled the number of scholar-athletes honored.
The expanded teams include NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III participants, while the College Division team combines NAIA, Canadian and two-year schools.
The Capital One Division II and III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2012-13 DII and DIII Academic All-America® teams program.
