OCU’s Eckert, Daniel are named to Academic All-America teams
AUSTIN, Texas – Rachel Eckert from Oklahoma City University collected academic all-America® acclaim as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Eckert, a senior golfer from Bixby, Okla., scooped up second-team honors on the NAIA women’s at-large academic all-America® team. Eckert has accumulated a 3.95 cumulative grade-point average majoring in elementary education.
Oklahoma City has taken 100 CoSIDA academic all-America accolades over the years. Stars honored as CoSIDA academic all-Americans in 2021-22 are Eckert, Fabius Bascon (competitive pom/dance), Peyton Crispin (baseball), Dalton Daniel (men’s golf), Lexi Duff (softball), Kennedy Jackson (softball), Sophia Salak (volleyball), Abby Selzer (women’s basketball) and Frederic Walter (baseball). Crispin became the NAIA baseball academic all-America team member of the year.
Eckert amassed a 76.20 scoring average this season. In 2021-22, Eckert posted four top-10 finishes, including her best showing as a Star in the Sooner Athletic Conference Championships on April 25-26. She delivered OCU a 72-75-70–217, tying for second place to become all-tournament. Eckert ended two strokes off the pace at The Territory Golf & Country Club in Duncan, Okla. Oklahoma City seized its 17th SAC championship.
Eckert supplied the Stars with a 78.71 stroke average with four rounds under par in her career. She carded her best round of 35-35–70 in the SAC Championships. Eckert’s career honors include third-team NAIA all-American and SAC Championships all-tournament.
Eckert has been awarded two NAIA scholar-athlete awards, two SAC scholar-athlete nods, two Women’s Golf Coaches Association all-American scholar honors, two academic all-conference accolades and three SAC commissioner’s honor roll nods.
The academic all‐America® at-large team, voted upon by CoSIDA, highlights the nation’s top student‐athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. CoSIDA began the distinguished academic all-America® program in 1952, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions with these elite academic all-America® scholar-athlete honors.
To be eligible for academic all-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
The women’s at-large team recognizes student-athletes who compete in beach volleyball, bowling, competitive cheer, competitive dance, golf, lacrosse, swimming, tennis and wrestling.
Daniel from Stars becomes CoSIDA academic all-American®
AUSTIN, Texas – Dalton Daniel of Oklahoma City University hauled in NAIA academic all-America® honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Daniel, a senior golfer from Newcastle, Okla., collected first-team recognition on the CoSIDA NAIA men’s at-large all-America® team. Daniel has produced a 3.90 cumulative grade-point average as an exercise science major.
OCU boasts of 99 CoSIDA academic all-Americans. The Stars who have become academic all-America honorees for 2021-22 include Daniel, Fabius Bascon (competitive pom/dance), Peyton Crispin (baseball), Lexi Duff (softball), Kennedy Jackson (softball), Sophia Salak (volleyball), Abby Selzer (women’s basketball) and Frederic Walter (baseball). Crispin was the NAIA baseball academic all-American of the year.
Daniel provided the Stars with a 71.86 stroke average in 29 rounds in 2021-22. Daniel grabbed three wins in a row among five top-five showings and seven rounds under 70 in 2021-22. Daniel took Sooner Athletic Conference player of the year and three league golfer of the week awards this season.
In his OCU career, Daniel carded a 71.89 scoring average and 14 rounds in the 60s. Daniel registered the top round of his career (32-32–64) in the U.C. Ferguson Classic on Aug. 30-31 at Lincoln Park Golf Course in Oklahoma City. Daniel became a two-time NAIA all-American, two-time all-region performer, two-time all-conference choice and two-time all-tournament in the SAC Championships.