University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Panther soccer: Six named to CSC Academic All-District Team for 2024
11/19/2024 2:55:00 PM | Women's Soccer
GREENWOOD, Ind. --- Six members of the UNI soccer team have been named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team for the 2024 season, as announced by CSC on Tuesday.
The CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-America program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom across NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III, as well as NAIA.
This year's Panther honorees include Lauren Heinsch, Olivia Bohl, Maddie Eastus, Olivia Knoepfle, Caitlin Richards and Morgan Barnette. In addition to All-District honors, Heinsch was also selected to this year's CSC Academic All-America ballot, which will be voted on in the coming weeks and announced in December.
To be eligible for this honor, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, post a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) and compete in at least 90% of their team's matches that season or start at least 66% of those matches.
UNI finished the 2024 season, its 25th in program history with a 9-6-4 record and tied for fifth in the MVC with a 4-3-3 mark. The Panthers qualified for the MVC Tournament for the seventh time in eight seasons under head coach Bruce Erickson, falling to Illinois State in the opening round.
Heinsch, a Mahtomedi, Minnesota native and 2024 First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) selection, finished with a team-high eight goals in 2024, tied for third-most in a season in team history, along with one assist for 17 total points. A record breaking performer for the Panthers, Heinsch set UNI's all-time records this season for goals scored (28), points (65), games with a goal (22), games with a point recorded (28), shot attempts (237), shots on goal (119), games played and games started (86).
Bohl, a native of Rosemount, Minnesota product, earned her Second Team All-MVC recognition after scoring three goals during her sophomore season with the purple and gold with 13 shot attempts and ten shots on goal. She appeared in and started 17 of 19 matches for Northern Iowa this fall, a year after earning MVC All-Freshman Team honors.
A native of Gilroy, California, Eastus was named Second Team All-MVC after earning third team recognition in 2023. Eastus recorded a career-high seven goals this season with four assists for a team-leading 18 total points with 45 shot attempts and 18 on goal, including multi-goal games against Upper Iowa and Valparaiso. She appeared in and started all 19 contests for the Panthers this year.
Knoepfle, a redshirt junior from Andover, Minnesota, earned Second Team All-MVC honors this year after first team honors in 2023. Starting and appearing in 18 matches, Knoepfle tallied six goals with four assists for 16 points with 31 shot attempts and 14 shots on goal. Knoepfle finished the season ranked second all-time with 12 career assists for the Panthers, fifth in career goals scored (16), fifth in games with a goal scored (13) and ninth in shots on goal (49).
Richards, a senior goalkeeper from Elmhurst, Illinois, closed her Panther career out in style, starting all 19 matches in goal for the Panthers with a 1.43 goals allowed average. She finished her collegiate career breaking UNI's all-time records for career shutouts (20) and minutes played in goal (6,494).
Barnette, a forward from Maple Grove, Minnesota, played in 17 matches this fall with 16 starts, scoring three goals and tallying a pair of assists for 14 total points. She notably notched her first career multi-goal match with a pair of goals in UNI's 5-1 win over Western Illinois.
UNI women's soccer action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Panther Soccer), X (@UNI_Soccer) and on Instagram (@unipanthersoccer). The full 2024 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
