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O'Connor, Sowell Named to DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team

O'Connor, Sowell Named to DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team

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O'Connor, Sowell Named to DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team
CLEVELAND – Kansas City’s Eilise O'Connor and Seattle U's Kacie Sowell were named to the 10-member Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Team, while O'Connor was the recipient of the Postgraduate Scholarship it was announced today.

A San Francisco, Calif., native, O'Connor finished her career ranked second all-time at UMKC in career scoring (1,777) and assists (479). She also broke the Kansas City and WAC records for free throws in a game (22) and season (247), led the WAC in scoring (21.4) and was named second team All-WAC.

Off the court, O’Connor holds a 3.99 GPA as a health sciences (pre-dentistry) major and chemistry minor and was named to the Capital One Academic All-America® first team, and was a semifinalist for the Senior C.L.A.S.S. Award and the WBCA Allstate Good Works Team.

O'Connor will receive $5,000 towards postgraduate studies and will be given her award during the Association’s annual membership meeting held in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention, which will be held at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla., June 9-12.

Sowell, a native of Ventura, Calif., was one of two WAC players named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association (WBCA) All-Region 7 Team, one of just 52 Division I players honored. She repeated as a first team All-WAC honoree in 2013-14 after finishing third in the conference in rebounding (9.3) and field goal percentage (58.1), sixth in scoring (14.7) and 10th in blocks (0.63).

Sowell holds a 3.53 GPA as a sports and exercise science major. She was named to the WBCA Allstate Good Works Team and was also a candidate for the Senior C.L.A.S.S. Award.

Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the nominees was required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. Nominated student-athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s games. To be eligible for nomination to the Scholar-Athlete Team, he/she must have reached junior academic standing at their institution. To be eligible for the Postgraduate Scholarship, he/she must have completed eight semesters or the equivalent number of quarters at their institution. Preference was given to those on track to graduate in spring/summer 2014.

About Division I-AAA ADA: Now in its 13th year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance initiatives common to its Division I-AAA membership (the 99 Division I institutions that do not sponsor football), in particular, aspects related to their flagship basketball programs. For more information on the Division I-AAA ADA, please visit www.div1aaa-ada.com. The Division I-AAA ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 49th year. For more information on NACDA and the 13 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.

2014 Division I-AAA Women's Scholar-Athlete Team
Name University GPA Major
Alexis Dobbs American 3.81 Public Health/Minor Biology
Jen Dumiak American 3.94 Mathematics & Economics
Sarah Hansen Florida Gulf Coast 3.88 Chemistry/Minor Mathematics
Amanda Hyde IPFW 3.97 Mathematics/Minor Psychology
Katie Fox St. Francis 4.00 English & History
Dequesha McClanahan Winthrop 3.34 Exercise Science
Eilise O'Connor Kansas City 3.99 Chemistry
Haley Seilbert IPFW 3.98 Communication Science & Disorders
Erin Shields Saint Joseph's 3.82 Finance & Accounting
Kacie Sowell Seattle U 3.53 Sports & Exercise Science

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Amanda Hyde, IPFW
Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient: Eilise O'Connor, Kansas City