Demirjian Park | University of Illinois Fighting Illini
Demirjian Park | University of Illinois Fighting Illini
Six student-athletes from the Illini soccer team have been honored with College Sports Communicators Academic All-District accolades, as announced on Tuesday. This recognition is given to players for their combined excellence in sports and academics.
The honorees include senior midfielder Kennedy Berschel, who studies strategic leadership and management; senior defender Ella Karolak, a psychology major; junior forward Sarah Foley, specializing in advertising; senior defender Angie Galo, who is pursuing a double major in marketing and information systems; senior midfielder Sarah Hiestand, focusing on kinesiology; and junior forward Lia Howard, who is studying communication and psychology. Each of these athletes has received this honor for the first time.
Kennedy Berschel had an impressive season by starting all 18 matches and achieving personal bests with four goals, four assists, twelve points, and eighteen shots. Sarah Foley made it to the All-Big Ten Second Team by setting career records with eleven goals, thirty-three shots, twenty-two shots on goal, and six game-winning goals.
Ella Karolak contributed to the team's defensive efforts by helping secure four clean sheets throughout the season while adding two assists to her name. Angie Galo also started every match of the season while recording career highs with three goals, two assists, fourteen shots on goal five times out of fourteen attempts during 1,472 minutes played.
Sarah Hiestand not only started all games but also scored her first-ever goal along with an assist. She was fourth in Big Ten play for interceptions with seventy-nine. Lia Howard finished strong by scoring three late-game goals and sharing the lead for assists at four across this campaign.
The 2024 Academic All-District Women's Soccer Teams are selected by College Sports Communicators based on athletic performance paired alongside academic achievements nationwide. Those honored will now move forward into consideration for CSC Academic All-America selections scheduled to be released in early December.
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