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

2021-2022 Spring Academic All-CCIW Honorees

June 10, 2022 - North Central College has released its list of 108 recipients of the Dave Wrath Academic All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Award for the 2021-2022 winter season as well as its two Jack Swartz Academic All-Conference honorees, men's volleyball student-athlete Jeremy Cardenas and women's track and field student-athlete Julia Babinec.

The Dave Wrath Academic All-Conference list comprises those individuals that achieved an overall grade-point average of 3.30 or above and have served at least one year in residency at their respective school. Over 800 names were recognized during the spring season.

The Dave Wrath Academic All-Conference award is named after the former Augustana College athletics administrator. Wrath retired in June 2021 as the Associate Director of Athletics for Media and Alumni Relations, serving the Vikings for 40 years. In addition to his duties at Augustana, Wrath served as the CCIW Sports Information Director from 1996 to 2005 and was instrumental in establishing the CCIW's Academic All-Conference Program in 2005.

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.

A senior Spanish and sociology double major, Babinec repeats as the Cardinals' top honoree in a female sport after receiving the distinction for the Winter season in March. During the 2022 outdoor track & field campaign, Babinec achieved a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in the 100-meter hurdles and placed sixth as part of North Central's 4-by-100-meter relay team to earn All-America honors in both events. Babinec placed first in both events at the CCIW Outdoor Championships, helping lead the Cardinals to their third straight outdoor conference title and their 12th overall.

Cardenas, a marketing and finance double major, earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) First Team All-America honors as well as All-West Region accolades for the men's volleyball program, which finished with an overall record of 19-5 and advanced to the Division III National Championship for the first time. Cardenas ranked second in the CCIW in blocks per set (0.86) and fourth in attack percentage (.428), earning Second Team All-Conference accolades.

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.