Five Tiger Soccer Players Earn Academic All-District Honors

| 2024 CSC Academic All-District Men’s Soccer Team |
| 2024 CSC Academic All-District Women’s Soccer Team |

SPRINGFIELD, OH — Five Wittenberg soccer players were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) NCAA Division III Soccer Academic All-District Teams for the 2024 season, the organization announced on Tuesday.

The CSC Academic All-District Team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. To earn CSC Academic All-District distinction, student-athletes must be a sophomore or above in class standing with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.50 while meeting athletic participation requirements.

In soccer, student-athletes must compete in 90 percent of the institution's matches played or must start in at least 66 percent of the institution's matches. Selected Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot (noted by asterisk on release from CSC). First-, Second-, and Third-Team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in December.

On the men’s side, two players were selected in sophomore Collin LaVeck (Carroll, OH / Bloom-Carroll) and senior Marcus Orton (Knoxville, TN / Webb School of Knoxville).

LaVeck, a winger and midfielder, is a biology major and Honors student who carries a 3.834 GPA. LaVeck played in 14 games, including 12 starting assignments, for Wittenberg in the 2024 season. He scored two goals and registered 20 total shots, including 10 directed on goal. He tallied four total points for the season, with one of his goals being a game-winner.

Orton, a midfielder, is a computer science major with a 3.744 GPA who played in 13 games and started 12 in the 2024 season. He finished the season with two assists for two points. An Honors student, Orton was also an Academic All-District selection in 2023.

The Tiger men's soccer team finished 4-7-3 overall in 2024 and 2-4-2 in the NCAC, good for sixth place.

For the Witt women, three players were selected in junior Alex Hill (Powell, OH / Olentangy Liberty), senior Grace Koperna (Macedonia, OH / Nordonia), and junior Courtney Lindgren (Maineville, OH / Kings).

Hill, a forward, is a double major in business and sport management with a 3.979 GPA. She played in 16 games and started 15. Her stats on the season include one goal with three assists for five points. She registered 15 shots on the season, including nine on goal. Hill was named second-team All-NCAC both her freshmen and sophomore seasons. After being named Rookie of the Year by her team as a freshman, she scored seven goals as a sophomore. A member of the NCAC 2023-24 Academic Honor Roll, Hill is vice president of education for her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta.

Koperna, a defender, is a biology major on the Pre-Physician Assistant pathway with a 3.74 GPA. The Honors student played in 16 games and started in 14. On the season, she scored a goal and registered two assists for four points. Overall, she had 17 shots, including 12 on goal, with her and her one goal being a game-winner against 15th-ranked Calvin that earned her NCAC Athlete of the Week on Sept. 10. Last year, Koperna was named Team MVP and made the OCSA All-Ohio Honor Roll, second-team All-Ohio and first-team Academic All-Ohio by the OCSA. She was Academic All-District in 2023 and was All-NCAC First-Team.

Lindgren, a defender and midfielder, is a double major in sport management and exercise science boasting a GPA of 4.0. She played in 16 games and started in all 16. For the season, Lindgren tallied one assist while playing a primarily defensive position for the Tigers, who registered four shutouts on the season. A member of the 2023-2024 NCAC Academic Honor Roll, Lindgren also earned 2022-2023 Scholar-Athlete Honors.

The Tiger women's soccer team finished fourth in the NCAC regular season standings with a 3-2-2 record before topping regular season champion Denison in the NCAC Tournament semifinals. Despite outshooting regular season champion DePauw, 19-4, in the tournament title game, Wittenberg dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 decision on Saturday, Nov. 9. The Tigers posted an overall record of 6-5-5.

Wittenberg women's soccer has had three individuals earn a total of five Academic All-America awards: Bobbi Ashby (second-team, 1994), Kathy Aros (third-team, 1996 & second-team, 1997), and Kelly Foley (second-team, 2009 & second-team, 2010). Wittenberg men's soccer has never had an Academic All-America honoree in its history. Click here for complete list