Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

2018-2019 Fall Academic All-CCIW Honorees

Dec. 10, 2018 - North Central College has released its list of 107 Academic All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) selections for the 2018-2019 fall season, marking the highest number of honorees since the introduction of the award in 2005. Heading the list are North Central's Jack Swartz Academic All-Conference selections, junior women's soccer student-athlete Lexi Dimovski and senior men's cross country student-athlete Al Baldonado.

Each CCIW institution selects one male and one female Jack Swartz Academic All-Conference Award winner each season. To be considered, student-athletes must have maintained at least a 3.50 grade-point average during the term in addition to their athletic credentials. The award is named after former CCIW commissioner and Wheaton College coach and administrator Jack Swartz for his support of the CCIW and his commitment to the student-athlete.

In order to earn Academic All-CCIW honors, individuals needed to have earned a varsity letter in their sport and maintained at least a 3.30 GPA. North Central's list of 107 honorees for the past fall season tops last year's school-record total of 94. Four Cardinals are four-time qualifiers for the award this season, men's cross country student-athletes Zach Hird and Dhruvil Patel and men's soccer student-athletes Jared Collier and Gavin Sanchez.

Dimovski, an actuarial science major, earned First Team All-CCIW honors this fall as well as a United Soccer Coaches (USC) Third Team All-Region selection, the first in the history of the Cardinals' women's soccer program. In 17 games this season, Dimovski scored a team-high nine goals, three of which were game-winners, as North Central finished with a record of 7-9-1, including a 3-4-1 record in conference play.

Baldonado, also an actuarial science major, finished second behind teammate Patel at the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Championship in November, helping lead the Cardinals to their third straight team national championship and their 19th overall. A Division III All-American for the third straight year, Baldonado also placed third at this year's CCIW Championship and seventh at the Division III Midwest Region Championship.

Click HERE to view all of North Central's past Academic All-CCIW and Jack Swartz Award winners. For a complete list of honorees from each CCIW institution, visit cciw.org.