Dec. 12, 2008
CHICAGO - Nine members of Loyola University Chicago fall sports teams have been named to their respective sport's Horizon League All-Academic Team, it was announced today. The nine honorees from Loyola ties for the second-highest total among any League school.
Sophomore Ben Reifenberg, a First Team All-Horizon League performer, was the lone Loyola selection from the men's cross country squad. A social work major with a 3.49 grade-point average, Reifenberg was a two-time Horizon League Male Athlete of the Week honoree this fall and helped the Ramblers capture a second-place finish at the League Championships.
Senior Genevieve Binnie and junior Colleen Donovan, Loyola's top two runners all fall, were chosen to the women's cross country all-academic team. A three-time Horizon League Female Athlete of the Week pick in the fall, Donovan, an elementary education major (3.74 GPA), placed second overall at the Horizon League Championships and earned First Team All-League accolades. Binnie, a biology major (3.68 GPA), was also a First Team All-League selection and the tandem helped the Ramblers capture their first League team title since 2001.
Setter Lauren Ditscheit was recognized on the women's volleyball all-academic team after helping the Ramblers to a 19-11 overall mark. The junior led the team with 640 assists and 48 services aces this fall, while also totaling 216 digs and 26 kills in 115 games. Ditscheit, who holds a 3.76 GPA and is majoring in advertising/public relations, was named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week on Sept. 18.
Three members of the Loyola men's soccer team were selected to the all-academic team - junior Malcolm DeBaun, senior Kevin Harrigan and sophomore Will Martin. DeBaun, who was a member of the all-academic team a year ago as well, earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V honors in 2007 and this year was a key cog in a defensive unit that recorded a school-record 13 shutouts. He sports a 3.93 GPA as a biology major.
Harrigan has been a standout and a leader on the Rambler defense since the day he walked onto campus and this fall was instrumental in helping Loyola earn its second NCAA Tournament berth in the last three seasons. A math/secondary education major with a 3.51 GPA, Harrigan tallied one assist in 2008.
The owner of a 4.0 GPA, while majoring in biology, Martin three times this fall was named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week and finished the year with a pair of assists from his defender position.
Senior Alexia Murray and junior sensation Cynthia Morote-Ariza represent Loyola on the women's soccer all-academic team. Murray tallied one goal and a pair of assists en route to helping Loyola tie a school record with 14 victories this fall as the team claimed a share of the regular-season League crown. A versatile player, Murray, who carries a 3.90 GPA as a biology major, slid over to play defender this season after injuries ravaged the Ramblers' defense early in the season.
Morote-Ariza adds to her stable of awards after another record-setting campaign on the pitch. The forward, who was an ESPN The Magazine Third Team Academic All-America selection this fall, was named Horizon League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after posting mind-boggling numbers of 18 goals, 19 assists and 55 points. Her assist and point totals stand as Loyola single-season records, while her 18 goals fell one shy of equaling her own single-season school mark set one year ago.
The Horizon League recognizes student-athletes with seasonal Academic All-League teams in each of its 19 championship sports. To be eligible for Academic All-League consideration, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or higher (based on a 4.00 scale) and have completed at least one year a the member institution, having earned 24 semester-hour or 36 quarter-hour credits.
