GREENWOOD, Ind.- For the first time in program history the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) put together an Academic All-District Team for the At-Large College Division, and in it's first year, 10 different Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneer student-athletes earned their way onto the list. The 10 Bucs female student-athletes to earn the honors marked the most of any school in the two-year ranks.
The Bucs freshly crowned National Championship Softball squad led the way with five selections while their fellow National Champion Volleyball team had four and the Bucs Women's Basketball team had one player make the list. Among other things, to be eligible for nomination, student-athletes had to have a cumulative 3.50 or better GPA, have been at their current school for one complete calendar year, and must have been a starter, or important reserve on their team.
Five FSW Softball student-athletes earned their way onto the list led by a trio of members of their pitching staff. Leading the way was ace Belle Sardja who adds CSC Academic All-District honors to a growing trophy case that now includes FCSAA Pitcher of the Year, 2022 NJCAA National Tournament MVP, and 2023 NJCAA World Series Most Outstanding Pitcher. Sardja, a Public Relations major, wrapped up her FSW career in May, graduating with a 3.85 GPA. Lefty Kylee Graham joined her on the team, finishing her Buccaneer career with not only a 21-1 record in the circle for the two-time Champs, but was equally as good in the classroom where she was a 3.90 student for the Bucs. The third FSW hurler on the All-Academic squad was Samantha Smith who posted a team best 3.95 overall GPA in her two years with the Bucs while going a perfect 9-0 in the circle with a 2.50 ERA. A pair of left handed swingers joined the trio as infielder Carys Platt and outfielder Laura Vigna also earned the honors. Platt played in 114 games for FSW the past two seasons, hitting .395, stealing 60 bases, and scoring 93 runs. In the classroom she was a 3.79 student majoring in Business. Vigna was both an NJCAA and NFCA All-American last season for the Bucs, wrapping up her career this season as a .401 hitter with 104 runs scored and 81 RBIs. The Turin, Italy native graduated from FSW this Spring with a 3.62 GPA in General Studies.
The Bucs Volleyball team had four student-athletes make the list led by setter Maiana Coelho who not only helped the Bucs to back to back Suncoast Conference Championships and the 2022 NJCAA National Title, but was also the top achieving FSW student-athlete with a perfect 4.00 GPA in her two years in Fort Myers. Middle Julia Lawrenz and libero Arianna Rossi posted matching 3.91 GPAs in Nutrition and Exercise Science. Lawrenz was a VolleyMag All-American and the MVP of the 2022 FCSAA State Tournament this year for the Bucs, wrapping up her career as FSW's all-time leading blocker with 205. Rossi was a two-time 1st Team All-Conference selection on the FSW backrow and leaves as the Bucs all-time leader in digs with 824. Last, but certainly not least was outside hitter Barbara Koehler who put up the best single season in FSW history this season, earning both NJCAA and AVCA National Player of the Year accolades while breaking the Bucs all-time career records for kills (590) and aces (78). In the classroom she posted a 3.78 GPA as a Psychology major.
Point guard Natalia Tondi represented the FSW Women's Basketball team on the CSC Academic All-District squad. Tondi was a two-time All-Conference selection on the court for the Bucs, starting all 56 games for the Purple and Aqua the past two seasons. Off the court she was equally as on point, notching a 3.72 GPA as an Engineering major at FSW.
These 10 student-athletes will now be eligible to be voted on for CSC Academic All-American honors which will be released later this month.
2023 CSC COLLEGE DIVISION AT-LARGE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM