Vanden Avond, Beine Named to CoSIDA Academic All-America Team

From Sports Information Director, November 20, 2015 | Women's Soccer
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

DE PERE - St. Norbert College women's soccer senior forward Katie Vanden Avond and senior defender Nicole Beine have been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Division III Women's Soccer Academic All-America team.

Vanden Avond was a first-team Academic All-America selection for the second time, also earning the honor in 2013. Beine was a third-team Academic All-America honoree, her first such accolade.

Vanden Avond, a De Pere native, carries a 3.50 grade point average while majoring in communications. Vanden Avond, the NCAA Division III career leader in goals with 130, was a four-time first-team All-Midwest Conference selection. Vanden Avond finished the 2015 season with 39 goals and four assists for 82 points, and led Division III this season in goals and points. Vanden Avond, who also led Division III in goals in 2011 and 2013, is a three-time Midwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year (2011, 2012, 2013) and is a Dean's List student. In 78 career games, Vanden Avond finished with 130 goals and 21 assists for 281 points.

Beine, a Kohler native, holds a 3.90 grade point average while majoring in biology. Beine, who has five assists in 19 games this season, is the co-chair of the St. Norbert Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. A Dean's List student, Beine is also a teaching assistant and researcher in the St. Norbert Biology Department. In 76 career games, Beine scored six goals and nine assists for 21 points.

The honors for Vanden Avond and Beine run the Academic All-America honors for St. Norbert women's soccer to seven. In addition to Vanden Avond's honor in 2013, also earning plaudits were Jenny Adkins (1995, second), Jenni Jacobsen (2007, second; 2008, third) and Rachelle Barina (2008, first).

Since the inception of the CoSIDA Academic All-America program in 1952, 48 St. Norbert student-athletes have been selected for 63 awards. All St. Norbert first-team Academic All-Americans have special plaques presented by St. Norbert and are displayed near the front lobby of Schuldes Sports Center. Each St. Norbert Academic All-American has an acrylic plaque awarded by CoSIDA displayed in the east corridor of Schuldes Sports Center.

To be eligible for national or district 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.