Sports information directors had a lot of talent to choose from in selecting the first Verizon Academic All-America Soccer Teams. The men's and women's all-academic teams, named by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), feature Luchi Gonzalez of Southern Methodist University, Andi Sellars of the University of Florida, Matt Ellis of Ohio Northern University and Andrea Pawliczek of Emory University as Team Members of the Year in the men's and women's university and college divisions.

Gonzalez led Southern Methodist to the 2001 Division I Men's Soccer Championship quarterfinals while earning the Hermann Trophy as the college soocer player of the year. Sellars is a two-time all-American with a high grade-point average in sport management. The two were named Team Members of the Year in the university division.

Their counterparts in the college division are Ellis, a three-time all-Ohio Athletic Conference choice who scored 13 goals last season and is Ohio Northern's all-time leader in assists, and Pawliczek, who won the same honor in 2000 on the Verizon fall/winter at-large team.

The inaugural soccer teams represent an overall expansion of the Verizon Academic All-America program. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the program, which was founded by CoSIDA in 1952 to recognize collegiate student-athletes for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and on the playing field.

The teams are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member CoSIDA. Nominees must be varsity starters or key reserves and maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.200 (4.000 scale).

Following are the 2001 Verizon Academic All-America Teams for men's and women's soccer:

Men's university division

First team

Luchi Gonzalez, Southern Methodist, finance; Andrew Hooker, UNLV, mechanical engineering; Anders Hoyem, Northeastern, finance/insurance; Ilkka Jantti, Kentucky, finance/management; Torsten Knor, Seton Hall, finance; Aaron Lauber, Wisconsin, accounting; Chris McAlpine, Kentucky, finance/economics; Terry McNelis, Duquesne, physical therapy; Chris Norbert, Davidson, biology; Mike Roach, North Carolina-Asheville, chemistry; Gregory Strohmann, Seton Hall, finance; Diego Walsh, Southern Methodist, business.

Second team

Dan Bestic, Dayton, pre-medicine; Oran Bjaneso, Akron, finance; Scott Blount, Furman, business administration/economics; Michael Charles, Rhode Island, biological science; Ingo Dittel, Seton Hall, finance; Bryan O'Quinn, Massachusetts, sports management; Bryn Ritchie, Washington, business; Colin Rogers, Indiana, finance/sociology; Brandon Thompson, Western Kentucky, electronic engineering technology; Ryan Weber, Bucknell, business administration/accounting; Saul Wolf, UC Irvine, international studies.

Third team

Tom Blesso, Providence, finance; Eric Chapman, Syracuse, political science/Spanish; Ryan Dougherty, elementary and special education; Justin Langan, Western Illinois, biology; Dennis Ludwig, Rutgers, management; Kyle Milligan, Akron, exercise science; Kevin Sapanli, San Diego State, business; Peter Sjolin, Hartford, economics; Matt Strode, Hartwick, pychology; Andrew Terris, Stanford, economics; Chris Wingert, St. John's (New York), communication arts.

Women's university division

First team

Kristin DePlatchett, North Carolina, economics; Frauke Dittel, Seton Hall, sport management; Karyn Hall, Florida, industrial and systems engineering; Christy Hoffmann, Cincinnati, communication disorders; Katharina Linder, Hartford, communication; Joanna Lohman, Penn State, undergraduate studies; Katie MacFarlane, Navy, mathematics; Lisa Nowoslawski, Alabama-Birmingham, biology; Emily Oleksiuk, Penn State, geography; Vanessa Pruzinsky, Notre Dame, chemical engineering; Andi Sellars, Florida, sport management.

Second team

Meghan Anderson, Nebraska, criminal justice; Kaye Brownlee, Furman, health and exercise science; Kathleen Corrao, Manhattan, education; Megan Cross, Boston U., biology/pre-medicine; Justine Fisher, Navy, ocean engineering; Natalie Franklin, UC Irvine, social science; Amanda Kulikowski, Eastern Michigan, criminal justice; Dyane Noonan, Villanova, communications/political science; Anita Rapp, Oakland, political science/German; Denise Peters, Alabama-Birmingham, psychology; Shannon Tanka, Nebraska, advertising.

Third team

Megan Anderson, Northern Illinois, marketing; Kristen Arnott, St. Francis (Pennsylvania), marketing; Monica Gonzalez, Notre Dame, management information systems/Spanish; Melissa Haire, West Virginia, mechanical engineering; Maren Harper, Utah, political science; Ashley McGhee, Oakland, sociology; Brigid Sullivan, Seton Hall, communications; Megan Thunell, Weber State, English teaching; Carrie Walsh, Stanford, Japanese/
Spanish; Ashley Wesmiller, Lafayette, electrical and computer engineering; Kim Zarzour, Alabama, communication disorders.

Men's college division

First team

Doug Becker, Moravian, biology; Pat Barry, Chicago, fundamental issues and texts; Matt Bowman, Salisbury State, geography; Dave Dwaihy, Kalamazoo, mathematics; Vidar Magne Ekehaug, Dowling, finance; Matt Ellis, Ohio Northern, mechanical engineering; Scott Heydt, Moravian, elementary education; Jon Hughes, Kalamazoo, health science; Mike Lochner, Otterbein, business administration; Andrew Simon, Skidmore, business; Kimani Williams, Macalester, physics amd mathematics.

Second team

Merrick Brownlee, George Fox, engineering; Alex Broz, Principia, sociology; Tom Conti, Lawrence, math and computer science; John Kightlinger, Wheaton (Illinois), international relations/German; Matt Spector, Quincy, biological sciences/medical chemistry/mathematics; David Stahl, Texas Lutheran, business/finance; Trevor Svoboda, Nebraska Wesleyan, economics; Brendan Thompson, Ohio Northern, mechanical engineering.

Third team

Rob Battisson, Lock Haven, English; Brad Cain, Ohio Wesleyan, economics management; Juan Martin Devoto, Lewis, business administration; Chris Heslep, John Carroll, communications; Doug Lupton, Whitworth, computer science/business management; Brian Mann, Simpson, math and computer science; Ryan Olsen, St. Mary's (Maryland), economics; Scott Runyon, Franklin & Marshall, neuroscience; David Vassilaros, Muhlenberg, business; Shawn Woodruff, Ohio Northern, civil engineering.

Women's college division

First team

Erin Archer, Indianapolis, elementary education; Jessi Adair, Presbyterian, early childhood education; Katie Buchert, Ohio Wesleyan, education; Tiffany Crooks, Ashland, psychology; Sara Kunneman, Nebraska Wesleyan, biology; Dorothy May, Angelo State, kinesiology; Andrea Pawliczek, Emory, economics/chemistry; Cathy Poor, Amherst, chemistry and biology; Sarah Ridley, William Penn, pre-professional biology; Allison Vroman, Minnesota State-Mankato, English; Carla Wagner, Augustana (Illinois), biology/Spanish/environmental studies.

Second team

Jenny Bruce, Wisconsin-Stevens Point, sociology; Loren Cerami, Rochester, optics; Susan Gonyea, Rochester Institute of Technology, , civil engineering; Sarah Kron, Wheaton (Illinois), biology; Adrianne Peters, Montevallo, business management; Lydia Raburn, Kalamazoo, economics; Annie Schenck, Emory, psychology; Jennie Vroman, Muhlenberg, English; Carrie Webster, Lynchburg, sports management/business administration.

Third team

Kristie Gordy, Northern State, political science/Spanish; Allison Lewandowski, Delaware Valley, biology; Jen Shinbori, Luther, management information systems; Rebecca Vaccaro, Mary Washington, English education; Elizabeth Hermiller, Albion, biology; Nicole Hundley, Elizabethtown, math/secondary education; Kathy Homes, St. Mary's (Maryland), biology; Rebecca Mouw, Wheaton (Illinois), kinesiology; Melissa Lehaman, Messiah, elementary education; Denise Buckley, College of New Jersey, corporate fitness.