Basketball standout Emeka Okafor of the University of Connecticut, who needed just three years to earn a degree, was named Academic All-America of the Year in the university division, while Whitworth College track and field sprinter Kristen Shields, who maintained a perfect grade-point average throughout her college academic career, earned the honor in the college division.

The Academic All-America of the Year honor, which began in 1987-88, is awarded to the most outstanding student-athlete of the year and is chosen from the student-athletes who have been awarded Team Member of the Year honors. From more than 360,000 student-athletes in the nation, just 816 are selected as Academic All-America Team members each year, 24 are selected as Team Members of the Year and two are named Academic All-America of the Year.

Okafor, a 2004 consensus first-team all-American, led the Huskies to a 33-6 record and the NCAA championship by averaging 17.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 4.1 blocked shots per game in 2003-04. In addition to being named the most outstanding performer at the Final Four, he also was tabbed as the National Association of Basketball Coaches and Sports Illustrated national player of the year.

As a senior, Okafor led the nation with 24 double-doubles, giving him 53 in his collegiate career. He also tied for first in the nation in blocks per game and was third in rebounding in 2003-04. Okafor was a two-time national defensive player of the year and all-Big East Conference selection. In the classroom, Okafor obtained a finance degree in just three years and was named the 2004 Big East men's basketball scholar-athlete of the year.

Shields, who also was selected as this year's college division Team Member of the Year in women's track and field/
cross country, was the NCAA Division III national champion in the 100-meter dash. She also earned all-America honors by placing sixth in the 200-meter dash. She posted the fastest time in the 100 (school-record 11.70) in Division III this season and broke the school mark in the 200 (25.06). Shields also participated in the 200-meter dash and 400-meter relay as a junior at the 2003 NCAA championships.

In the classroom, Shields boasted a perfect cumulative grade-point average while majoring in mathematics. A two-time Academic All-American (earning third-team honors in 2003), she earned the President's Cup Award for graduating from Whitworth with a perfect GPA.

Founded by CoSIDA in 1952, the Academic All-America Teams program recognizes collegiate student-athletes for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and on the playing field. Over the past 50 years, the Academic All-America program has grown into one of the most recognized and prestigious collegiate scholar-athlete awards nationwide, honoring student-athletes from all NCAA championship sports. To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.200 (4.000 scale).