DALLAS, Texas – Four College of Idaho student-athletes were honored today as members of the 2020 NAIA Academic All-District At-Large Team, announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Two men's athletes – swimmer
Andrew Clifford and golfer
Michael Piazzini – were among the 14 selected by a panel of sports information directors, while two women's athletes – swimmers
Caroline Yannelli and
Maya Murphy – were among 10 selected.
The at-large team includes the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo for both men and women; beach volleyball, bowling, crew and field hockey for women; and volleyball and wrestling for men. District 4 comprises all NAIA schools in the Cascade, Frontier, North Star, California Pacific, Golden State Athletic, Sooner Athletic and Red River Athletic Conferences.
Nominated by their school's CoSIDA representative, student-athletes were required to be at least a sophomore in eligibility, maintain a 3.30 cumulative grade point average and be a starter or important reserve on their team. Those selected will be on the final ballot for selection for the Academic All-America ® Team, to be released in June.
Clifford earns the honor for a second-straight year and was a 2019 second-team Academic All-American. The Meridian native had a banner 2019-20 swim season, earning individual All-America honors in the 200-yard IM and 200-yard butterfly, while helping four C of I relay teams to the finals at the NAIA Championships.
Piazzini earns the honor for a second-straight year. A 3-time Cascade Conference All-Academic Team selection and 2019 NAIA Scholar-Athlete, the Rogue River, Ore., native was the top performer on the men's golf team this season, carding an 82.5 stroke average.
Yannelli earns the honor for a second-straight year after leading the women's swim team to a ninth-place finish at the NAIA Championships. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, Yannelli qualified for the finals in two individual events at the NAIA Championships and helped two relay teams earn All-America honors – pushing her career All-America total to 14.
Murphy earns the distinction in her first year eligible for the award after earning All-America honors in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events. The native of Buford, Ga., is a 10-time NAIA All-American and one of five swimmers with three individual All-America awards.
CoSIDA NAIA Academic All-District 4 At-Large Team (Men): Gabriel Braga (Our Lady of the Lake, Tennis), William Bruchard (Lewis-Clark State, Tennis),
Andrew Clifford (College of Idaho, Swimming), Marcus Gavelin (Lewis-Clark State, Tennis), T.J. Hall (Embry-Riddle, Wrestling), Fredrik Ingul (Menlo, Golf), Zack Johnson (Embry-Riddle, Golf), Joey Medina (UC-Merced, Volleyball), Kevin Orellana (Marymount California, Tennis),
Michael Piazzini (College of Idaho, Golf), Andrew Schwartz (Northwest Christian, Golf), Joshua Sturt (Our Lady of the Lake, Golf), Sebastien Tremulot (Wayland Baptist, Golf), Kane Ybarra (Our Lady of the Lake, Golf).
CoSIDA NAIA Academic All-District 4 At-Large Team (Women): Landry Armstrong (Marymount California, Beach Volleyball), Kyla Collier (Lewis-Clark State, Tennis), Melissa Eldredge (Oklahoma City, Golf), Elizabeth Kelley (Arizona Christian, Tennis), Jayci Kelley (Arizona Christian, Tennis),
Maya Murphy (College of Idaho, Swimming), Emily Peterson (Westmont, Tennis), Emma Stevens (Arizona Christian, Swimming), Sophie Uhlenkott (Lewis-Clark State, Tennis),
Caroline Yannelli (College of Idaho, Swimming).
