Eight Women's Soccer Players receive Academic All-Conference Recognition

The mission of NCAA Division III athletics is to provide student-athletes with an opportunity to excel on the field, in the classroom, and within the greater community. Our program philosophy emanates from this mission and is grounded in encouraging and supporting our student-athletes to be the best individuals they can be in all aspects of their lives. Our success as a program is not measured solely by a win-loss record, but also by all the accomplishments of our women’s soccer players. The number one reason our student-athletes are attending Gustavus is to receive a quality education, which means we make it a top priority to ensure our players are succeeding in the classroom. And here's proof, our women's soccer team led the way for Gustavus Athletics fall sports with eight MIAC Academic All-Conference honorees. It's also great to note that Women's Soccer, with 83, had the most of any sport across the MIAC, while football was in a close second with 81 honorees.

Congrats to our Gustavus Women's Soccer Players!

MIAC Releases Fall Academic All-Conference Teams, 25 Gusties Honored 

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honored the league’s top performers in athletics and in the classroom with the announcement of the 2015 Fall Academic All-Conference Teams on Friday.

This fall, a record total of 359 student-athletes earned the prestigious honor, which recognizes combined excellence in academics and athletics. The previous record of 356 was established just one year ago (2014).

Of the 359 Academic All-Conference selections from the fall, 25 were representatives of Gustavus Adolphus College. The breakdown of Gustavus’s honorees included three men’s cross country runners, five women’s cross country runners, three football players, two men’s soccer players, eight women’s soccer players, and four volleyball players.

To earn Academic All-Conference honors, MIAC student-athletes must be a sophomore, junior or senior with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale while also meeting sport-specific athletic requirements, making the award a perfect blend of the balanced excellence championed by the MIAC and NCAA Division III.

Athletically, student-athletes in team sports must compete in 50 percent of their team’s regular-season varsity contests. The team sports eligible were football, volleyball, men’s soccer and women’s soccer. Cross country student-athletes were required to finish in the overall top 100 or their team’s top seven at the 2015 MIAC Cross Country Championship.

MIAC Release

Women’s Soccer (8)

Brittany Chase (Sr., Victoria, Minn.)

Molly Johnston (So., Mendota Heights, Minn.)

Kendyl Landeck (Jr., Moscow, Idaho)

Sophie Leininger (So., Plymouth, Minn.)

Josie Mazzone (So., Rapid City, S.D.)

Emily Odermatt (So., Minneapolis, Minn.)

Monica Pelkey (Jr., Oak Grove, Minn.)

Hannah Sturtz (So., Plymouth, Minn.)

Men’s Cross Country (3)

John Benson (Jr., Moorhead, Minn.)

Carston Dammann (So., Lake City, Minn.)

Samuel Renier (Sr., Cambridge, Minn.)

Women’s Cross Country (5)

Mata Agre (Sr., Medina, Minn.)

Lydia Hayes (So., Decorah, Iowa)

Lauren Shurson (Sr, Chanhassen, Minn.)

Marit Sonnesyn (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.)

Stephanie Welke (Jr., Tomahawk, Wis.)

Football (3)

Tyler Jakes (Jr., North Mankato, Minn.)

Marcus Kelly (Sr., Woodbury, Minn.)

Kyle Krzmarzick (Sr., Sleepy Eye, Minn.)

Men’s Soccer (2)

Eli Bjerk (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.)

John Fox (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.)


Volleyball (4)

Abilene Leitch (So., Mankato, Minn.)

Kelle Nett (Sr., Spring Valley, Ill.)

Alyssa Taylor (Sr., Trimont, Minn.)

Rebecca Woodstra (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.)

Gustavus to Renovate A.H. Anderson Hall

Gustavus Adolphus College President Rebecca M. Bergman announced today that the $8 million complete renovation of A.H. Anderson Hall will begin this January. The project, which is expected to conclude by February 2017, will prepare the building to house the Department of Education, the College’s Academic Support Center and Writing Center, the John S. Kendall Center for Engaged Learning, and a new multifaith center.

The renovated Anderson Hall will include a gathering space for students and faculty

“Our education program has been a hallmark of Gustavus excellence and service since the College’s founding in 1862,” Bergman said. “This renovation will provide our students with a dynamic learning environment that is designed to produce exceptional K-12 educators.”

Debra Pitton, professor and chair of the education department, looks forward to moving into the updated building. “The teaching spaces and technology will reflect best practices in K-12 schools and enable education majors to prepare for their teaching career in a more realistic setting,” she said. “Overall, the remodeled Anderson Hall provides a space to implement and model effective methodologies that will enhance our future teachers’ pedagogical skills and prepare them to meet the needs of their future learners.”

Located on the College’s main academic mall, the historic Kasota stone building opened in 1948 and originally served as the Gustavus library. It was renamed A.H. Anderson Hall in 1973 and became the home of the social sciences until 2011. In addition to creating inviting spaces for education, advising, and faith exploration, the renovated building will include a three-story open gathering space to encourage collaboration and group work for students and faculty.

“The Anderson renovation is almost exclusively funded through philanthropic gifts. The project is anchored by donations from several members of the Gustavus Board of Trustees, related families, and close friends of the College,” Vice President for Advancement Thomas W. Young ’88 said. “We are deeply grateful to our generous donors for their strong support of excellence in education.”

Nearly all of the $8 million was donated in very short-term commitments and outright cash, which allows for the aggressive renovation timeline. “We are excited that our current and incoming students will have the opportunity to utilize these spaces in the very near future,” Bergman said.


Article courtesy of gustavus.edu 
Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication, JJ Akin
jakin@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510