ESU Academic Awards page

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University graduate students Khriswayne Wallace and Nemanja Nikolic have both received their second career Capital One Academic All-America honors, earning spots for the 2013 men's soccer season, it was announced Monday.

Wallace (Westmoreland, Jamaica), a back, was named to the second team for the second straight year. Nikolic (Kragujevac, Serbia/HS of International Affairs), a forward, was previously named to the second team in 2011.

They are the ninth and 10th ESU student-athletes to earn multiple Academic All-America honors, and join Kamar Samuels (2002 and 2003) in men's soccer.

Wallace is a three-time Academic All-District selection, one of six in school history.

He is a first-semester graduate student in ESU's Management and Leadership program who graduated with a Business Management degree and a 3.90 grade-point average. He was also named to the PSAC Fall Top 10 last year.

Wallace started and played in 65 games in his career at ESU. He was an All-PSAC first team selection at center back as a freshman and sophomore, and was also named to the NSCAA All-Region team in 2010, and Daktronics All-Region team in 2011. He started all 20 games on ESU's 2010 PSAC runner-up team in its final season under head coach Jerry Sheska.

Nikolic, who has a 3.88 GPA in Management and Leadership after graduating with a 3.94 GPA in Political Science, was ESU's top scorer this year with three goals. He scored 14 career goals and was named to the All-PSAC second team at forward in 2011, when he led the Warriors with seven goals and three assists.

Wallace is one of seven repeat selections from last year's Academic All-America team.

The PSAC has four selections on both this year's men's and women's Academic All-America teams. Wallace and Nikolic are joined by Gannon forward Robbie Bennett (1st team) and Gannon midfielder Alex Perri (2nd team). For the women, backs Lauren Impey (Slippery Rock) and Katie Oliveri (Kuztown) are on the 1st team, and back Stephanie Thompson (California) and midfielder Mani Brueckner (Gannon) are on the 2nd team.

Other multiple-time Academic All-Americans at ESU are: Rose Mascoli, cross country/track & field (2011-13); Corinne Fitzgerald, cross country/track & field (2012-13); Matt Freed, football (2009-10); Paul Wagner, track & field (2009-10); Kamar Samuels, men's soccer (2002-03); Katie Horst, field hockey (1997-99); Rob Stone, track & field (1996, 1998) and Laura Mason, track & field (1983-85).

ESU has had 32 student-athletes combine for a total of 45 Academic All-America selections since 1979.

In men's soccer, ESU has had five student-athletes selected since 2002 – Samuels (2002-03), Jorge Chapoy (2003), Toric Robinson (2009), Nikolic (2011, 2013) and Wallace (2012-13).


About the Academic All-District and Academic All-America Program

ESU is second in the PSAC with 66 Academic All-District selections in the last six years (2007-08 through 2012-13).

During the 2012-13 academic year, the Warriors had eight Academic All-Americans, including Wallace, and 11 student-athletes named to Academic All-District teams.

The Academic All-District and All-America teams recognize student-athletes for athletic and academic achievement and are nominated and voted on by members of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).

This marks the third year that separate teams have been selected for Division II, Division III and College Division (NAIA/Canadian schools/two-year schools) institutions. The previous "College Division" included all DII, DIII, Canadian and junior college programs.

District 2 of Division II follows the NCAA's regional model and includes all schools from the PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference), Mountain East Conference and CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association). It also includes the Northeast-10 Conference in football as part of Super Region 1.