BEREA, OHIO -- Two Baldwin-Wallace College soccer student-athletes have been named to the ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV soccer teams. The teams are selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The two Yellow Jackets are senior goalie Russ Mika (Medina/ Senior) and junior midfielder Jeff Grater (Stow/ Stow-Munroe Falls) of the men's team.
"We are extremely proud of Russ and Jeff making the ESPN THE MAGAZINE team," said eighth-year Head Coach Reid Ayers. "Each one is a fine person and a leader in the classroom and on the soccer field. They are emblematic of the Division III student-athlete philosophy and represent Baldwin-Wallace College and its soccer program with distinction."
Mika was a first-team selection, while Grater was named to the second-team. By virtue of his first-team selection, Mika now advances to the national CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot for the second straight year. In addition, Mika is a repeat Academic All-District IV choices and Grater is making his first appearance on the team.
Mika, a business administration and finance major with a 3.68 grade point average, is a first-team selection for the second straight year. The 2008 Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference pick is a three-year starter and is having his best season as a collegian. This season, Mika has helped B-W to an 11-6-1 overall record, including an 11-1-1 slate in its last 13 matches. On October 12, he was named as the OAC Men's Soccer Player of the Week for posting back-to-back shutouts against Heidelberg University and against Otterbein College. He is allowing 0.95 goals per game with 67 saves and six individual and eight total shutouts. During his career, Mika has played in 48 matches and compiled a 26-13-5 record with 12 individual and 18 overall shutouts while allowing 1.15 goals per game with 189 saves.
Grater, who carries a 3.88 grade point average in business and finance, is making his first appearance on the honor squad. The two-year starter transferred to B-W after spending his freshman season at Calvin (Mich.) College. In his two seasons at B-W, Grater has played in 37 matches and has five goals and three assists for 13 points. This season, he is fourth on the team in scoring with three goals and two assists for eight points.
Baldwin-Wallace College has a rich tradition of excellence in the classroom and on the athletic areas with 78 student-athletes having been chosen as Academic All-Americans since the programs inception in 1972. The 78 total Academic All-Americans is the most of any OAC school and the second most of any small college or university in Ohio.
FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics
