CHICAGO (June 3, 2021) – Senior Katharine Stephens (North Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) and junior Abby Swanson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North), both members of the Loyola University Chicago women's soccer team, have been tabbed First Team Academic All-District honorees by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the organization announced on Thursday. 
 
Both named First Team selections, Stephens and Swanson are just the fifth and sixth student-athletes in program history to earn Academic All-District distinction.  They will now advance on to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot.
 
Stephens, out of North Aurora, Ill., started in 11 games this past spring, finding the back of the net twice and dishing out an assist as she earned Honorable Mention All-Missouri Valley Conference honors.  The 5-foot-10 forward tallied goals in regular season wins over Illinois State and Indiana State.
 
A mathematics major with a 3.85 cumulative grade-point average, Stephens was named a First Team MVC Scholar-Athlete Team selection in April.
 
Swanson is coming off a phenomenal 2021 spring season in which she became the first player in program history to be named a United Soccer Coaches All-American.  A 5-foot-8 defender/midfielder, Swanson finished the year with a pair of goals, none of which were bigger than when she tallied the first NCAA Tournament goal in program history 43 seconds into the Maroon & Gold's matchup with Denver on April 27.
 
Out of Downers Grove, Ill., Swanson, who, like Stephens, earned First Team MVC Scholar-Athlete accolades, sports a 3.51 cumulative grade-point average as a nursing major.
 
To be nominated for the CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution.  Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of their team's games.