Hill, Bloniarz, Hoogenboom Earn CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-America Honors

From Sports Information Director, June 3, 2014 |
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College seniors Laurel Hill, Ariel Bloniarz and Brandon Hoogenboom have been named to the Capital One Division III At-Large Academic All-America squad, presented by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Hill, a women's hockey player, is a second-team selection. Bloniarz (women's tennis) and Hoogenboom (men's hockey) were both third-team selections. Bloniarz is the only at-large Academic All-America selection from the Midwest Conference, while Hill and Hoogenboom are the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association's lone honorees.

Hill, a Huntsville, Ontario, native, held a 3.70 grade point average while majoring in biology. Hill, the first Academic All-American for St. Norbert women's hockey, scored four goals and 20 assists for 24 points this past season, which was fifth nationally among Division III defensemen. Hill was a first-team All-Northern Collegiate Hockey Association selection. A Dean's List student, Hill is a member of Campus Crusade for Christ and Phi Beta Delta, an international honors society for those who promote international education.

Bloniarz, an Iron Mountain, Mich., native, compiled a 3.97 grade point average in accounting. Bloniarz registered a 26-9 singles record and a 2-2 mark in doubles play during 2013-14, with her 26 singles wins the second-most ever in a single St. Norbert season. She is a three-time Midwest Conference semifinalist in singles play, and also a three-time Academic All-MWC honoree. Bloniarz is a member of the St. Norbert Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and is active in Big Brothers Big Sisters. An on-campus tutor, Bloniarz also volunteers at Goodwill and Paul's Pantry in Green Bay. Bloniarz joins Jenny Karisny (1994) as St. Norbert's women's tennis' lone Academic All-Americans.

Hoogenboom, a Nanton, Alberta, native, fashioned a 3.70 grade point average with a major in business administration. Hoogenboom was a two-year captain for the Green Knights and was an assistant captain as a sophomore. The senior forward scored 12 goals and seven assists for 19 points in 31 games this season. Hoogenboom was the hockey team's representative to the St. Norbert Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. St. Norbert went 28-3-1 this season, and won its fourth NCAA Division III national championship in seven years with a 3-1 win over UW-Stevens Point on March 22. Hoogenboom's honor is the sixth Academic All-America mention for St. Norbert men's hockey. Rob Smillie was a second-team selection in 1999, followed by Marc Belanger's second-team accolade in 2008. Nick Tabisz was a second-team honoree in 2010 and 2011. Johan Ryd was a second-team choice in 2012.

The three bring St. Norbert's total of Academic All-Americans to 59, and its fifth this school year (Katie Vanden Avond, women's soccer and Travis Mason, baseball). The at-large team encompasses student-athletes from the sports of bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis, men's volleyball, water polo and wrestling.

To be eligible for national or regional selection, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.0, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his current institution and be nominated by his sports information director. The Academic All-America team is selected after All-District teams are picked from eight geographic regions nationally.