Jul 16, 2010 8:46:42 AM

The College Sports Information Directors of American selected Justine Schluntz of Arizona and Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific as Academic All-Americans of the Year for 2009-10.

Schluntz, a swimmer, earned her degree in mechanical engineering with summa cum laude honors. The six-time national champion represents the university division and is the first swimmer to earn the honor.

Pixler, a cross country student-athlete, represents the college division. A three-time NCAA champion, Pixler carries a 3.93 grade-point average as an English major.

Schluntz  and Pixler join former honorees Rebecca Lobo (1994-95), Peyton Manning (1997-98), Chad Pennington (1999-00), Stacey Dales-Schuman (2001-02) and Emeka Okafor (2003-04).

The Academic All-American of the Year award, which began in 1987-88, is chosen from the student-athletes who have been awarded Team Member of the Year honors in men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country and track, football, volleyball, baseball and softball. There also are men's and women's "at-large" teams composed of student-athletes in other sports.

Of the more than 400,000 student-athletes in the nation, just 816 are selected annually as Academic All-America team members, and from that group, 24 are selected as Team Members of the Year.