Erika Bohn (3.67 GPA, art studio) is on pace to earn her third Academic All-America honor.

Five Irish Players Named Academic All-District; Bohn, Schefter And Jones Advance To National Ballot

Nov. 5, 2005

Three Notre Dame women’s soccer players – senior goalkeeper Erika Bohn (Brookfield, Conn.), senior midfielder Annie Schefter (Yakima, Wash.) and sophomore defender/midfielder Ashley Jones (Westlake Village, Calif.) – have been named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District V first team and now advance to the Academic All-America ballot. Fifth-year outside back Candace Chapman (Ajax, Ontario0 and junior midfielder Jen Buczkowski (Elk Grove, Ill.) were second team Academic All-District picks, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Notre Dame joined Portland as the only women’s soccer teams to place three or more players on the national ballot, with the official CoSIDA Academic All-America team to be announced on Nov. 22.

Bohn – bidding for her third Academic All-America honor – owns a 3.67 cumulative grade-point average as an art studio major and is a top candidate for Academic All-American of the Year. Schefter joined Bohn in earning 2004 Academic All-America honors and carries a 3.76 GPA as a double major in pre-professional studies and psychology. Jones has the chance to be a rare sophomore Academic All-American, thanks to a 3.963 GPA as an accounting major (including a 4.0 during the 2004 fall semester).

Chapman is concluding her degree requirements as a sociology and computer applications major, with a 3.23 cumulative GPA. Buczkowski – who earned first team Academic All-District honors as a sophomore – carries a 3.28 GPA as a business marketing major.

Junior defender Christie Shaner (Ambler, Pa.) also was nominated but failed to be selected among the 22 total players that received Academic All-District V honors. Shaner was a second team Academic All-District V selection in 2004 and currently owns a 3.37 GPA as a design major.

The above six players have led the way for an Irish team that leads the nation in scoring (4.50 goals per game) while ranking 14th in goals-against average (0.50). The Irish own an 87-10 scoring edge and have totaled more goals than opponent shots (81, just 36 on goal). The Irish have posted 14 shutouts (3rd in the nation), have held 18 opponents to 0-1 goals and have scored three-plus goals in 17 games this season.

Notre Dame heads into Sunday’s BIG EAST title game riding a nine-game winning streak, outscoring the opposition 41-1 during that streak while allowing just nine shots on goal (1.0 per game) in the five-week span. The Irish have trailed in just two games all season, for a total of only 77 minutes.

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Senior co-captains Annie Schefter (left) and Candace Chapman are among five Notre Dame players who have earned Academic All-District honors for the 2005 season.

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The Notre Dame women’s soccer program’s stellar scholar-athlete tradition includes two Academic All-Americans of the Year (goalkeeper Jen Renola in ’96, defender Vanessa Pruzinsky in ’03) and 15 total Academic All-America selections in the previous 11 seasons (most from any school in that span). Notre Dame’s 2003 team became the first in Division I women’s soccer history ever to produce three Academic All-Americans in the same season: Pruzinsky (1st team), Bohn (2nd team) and forward Mary Boland (2nd team).

Notre Dame followed up its 2004 national championship by posting an impressive 3.38 team GPA during the ’04 fall semester and then a 3.35 in the spring of ’05 (ranking as the second-best ’05 spring GPA among ND’s 26 varsity sports).

Here are additional updated bio. notes on the four Academic All-District honorees:

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Erika Bohn has put up impressive numbers in the nets and in the classroom througout her Notre Dame career.

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Erika Bohn (3.68 GPA, art studio major; senior goalkeeper; Brookfield, CT) – nation’s only non-senior to receive first team Academic All-America honors in 2004 (after earning 2nd-team honors in ’03) … named 3rd team all-BIG EAST for 2005 season … owns 0.48 season goals-against avg. that would be leading the BIG EAST and ranked 14th in the nation (she has not logged the minimum minutes, after missing month due to ankle injury) … the strong ND defense has caused her to face just two shots on goal since returning from injury (in 401 minutes of action) … her 0.66 career GAA trails only Liz Wagner (0.57, ’98-’01) and LaKeysia Beene (0.63, ’96-’99) in the ND record book … also ranks 3rd in ND history for career wins (61-12-2) and minutes played (6,391) while her 78 starts are 2nd only to Jen Renola’s 98 … made penalty-kick save late in regulation and then two more in shootout of 2004 NCAA title-game win over UCLA (earning College Cup defensive MVP honors) … member of U.S. Under-21 National Team that won the 2005 Nordic Cup … led nation in 2004 GAA (0.41) before posting 3.80 GPA in ’04 fall term … logged a 967-minute shutout streak in ’03 that ranks 5th in NCAA history … third-year member of ND Athletic Department’s Academic Honors faculty mentoring program … team leader of various Life Skills volunteer service events … owns 61-6-2 record in her past 69 overall decisions with the Irish (since 3-2 loss to BYU on 10/19/02), allowing just 32 goals in that 69-game stretch (44 with 0 GA, 19 with 1 GA) … prior to the first ’03 loss to Michigan, she logged 29 consecutive games with the Irish (24 fall, 5 spring) without allowing multiple goals (previously by BYU in ’02) … since the BYU game, she has limited the opponent to 0-1 goals in 60 of her past 65 fall games (46 with 0 GA, 14 with 1 GA) … ranked 5th in nation with 0.49 GAA in ’03 … earned NSCAA 2nd team all-Great Lakes Region honors in ’03 … first called into U.S. Under-21 training camps during the summer of ’04.

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Annie Schefter has been a fixture in the Irish midfield througout the past three seasons and is a prospective medical-school student with a 3.76 GPA.

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Annie Schefter (3.77 GPA, pre-professional studies and psychology double major; senior midfielder; Yakima, WA) – collected 2nd team Academic All-America honors as a junior in 2004 … has appeared in all 20 games during ’05 season, starting 15 while ranking as team’s 7th-highest scorer with 13 points (3G-7A) … entered week ranked 9th among BIG EAST players in assists … all three of her ’05 goals (plus 3A) have come in the past six games … totaled 1G-1A in back-to-back wins over #10 Connecticut (4-0) and Providence (6-0) … also has ’05 assists in wins over #11 Florida (4-1), Gonzaga (4-1) and #11 Marquette in BIG EAST semifinal (3-0) … prospective medical school student who has played all 71 games in ’03-’05 (11G-19A/41 points, 56 GS), with the Irish going 63-6-2 in that three-year stretch (she did not play in ’02 due to injury) … helped win 2004 NCAA title before posting 3.72 GPA in ’04 fall semester (3.88 in ’05 spring) … former member of U.S. Under-19 National Team …serves as co-captain of ’05 captain … two-year member of ND Athletic Department’s Academic Honors faculty mentoring program … ranked as 5th-leading scorer on ’04 NCAA championship team (4G-7A).

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Ashley Jones posted an A grade in every class but one during her freshman year.

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Ashley Jones (3.96 GPA, accounting major; sophomore defender/midfielder; Westlake Village, CA) – emerged as starting left back for significant portion of ’05 season, after serving as one of top midfielders for ’04 NCAA champs … had impressive stint as defensive starter, after junior central back Kim Lorenzen was sidelined due to illness (Christie Shaner then moved from left back to a central role) … has appeared in all 20 games of the ’05 season, making 10 starts while scoring in BIG EAST quarterfinal vs. Georgetown (6-0) … posted 4.0 GPA in fall of ’04, 3.93 in ’05 spring … has played in all 47 games of ND career, helping Irish go 43-3-1 in that span… tied ND record for games played in a season (27, in ’04) … all four of her assists in ’04 set up gamewinning goals … scored for 1-0 lead in ’04 BIG EAST title game vs. UConn … member of ND Athletic Department’s Academic Honors faculty mentoring program.

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Jen Buczkowski repeated as an Academic All-District V selection.

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Jen Buczkowski (3.28 GPA, marketing major; junior midfielder; Elk Grove, IL) – 2004 All-American who serves as driving force of the ND midfield … named a first team Academic All-District selection as a sophomore in ’04 … recognized as the 2005 BIG EAST midfielder of the year while repeating as a 1st team all-BIG EAST honoree … logged every minute for U.S. Under-21 National Team that won 2005 Nordic Cup … named to 2005 watch list for Hermann Trophy (national player of the year) … ranks 5th on 2005 team with 21 points (7G-7A), entering the week 9th among BIG EAST players in assists … totaled 1G-1A in ND’s first two rounds of ’05 BIG EAST Tournament (6-0 quarterfinal vs. Georgetown, 3-0 semifinal vs. Marquette) … also earlier had 1G-1A vs. Gonzaga and DePaul … has played every game of career (71; 66 GS), helping ND go 63-6-2 from ’03-’05 … on verge of becoming ND program’s 21st all-time player with 20G-20A (19G-24A) … finished 18th in nation with 11A in ’04 … 3rd-leading scorer for ’04 NCAA champs (8G-11A), setting ND record with 27 GP … scored in final minute for 2-1 win at Georgetown in ’04 before scoring in 80th minute to beat Boston College (1-0) … also picked up GWG at Michigan (4-0) and vs. BC in ’04 BIG EAST semifinal (2-0) … earned Freshman All-American honors in 2003 … former member of U.S. Under-19 National Team … totaled 4G-6A in ’03.

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Candace Chapman is the veteran member of the Irish squad, adding Academic All-District honors to her earlier All-America recognition.

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Candace Chapman (3.24 GPA, sociology and computer applications double major; 5th-year right back; Ajax, ONT) – named 2005 BIG EAST defensive player of the year, repeating an honor she earned as a sophomore in ’02 … joined former ND player Jen Grubb and UConn alum Sara Whalen as only players to repeat as BIG EAST defensive player of the year … fourth ND player to be named all-BIG EAST four times (1st team as a defender in ’01, ’02 and ’04; missed ’03 due to injury and was 3rd team all-BE as a forward in ’04) … joins Grubb (’96-’99), M Anne Makinen (’97-’00) and F Amy Warner (’00-’03) as ND players who have been all-BIG EAST four times … five ND players have been 1st team all-BIG EAST three-plus times: M Holly Manthei (’95-’97), Grubb, Makinen, Warner and Chapman … combined with senior F Katie Thorlakson as fourth set of teammates in BIG EAST history ever named the offensive and defensive player of the year … named a 2005 preseason All-American and also named to he watch list for the Hermann Trophy (national player of the year) … ranks 3rd on ’05 team with 1,414 minutes played (71/gm) … ranks 8th on ’05 team with 12 points (2G-8A), including 1G-1A in 4-0 win over UConn and goal vs. Villanova (4-0) … ranks 4th among BIG EAST player in assists … starter with the Canadian National Team … earned 2002 All-America honors … 20th ND player ever to reach 20G-20A in her career (20G-23A), in 87 GP and 75 GS … carries active streaks of 47 consecutive games played and 36 starts … joins freshman central back Carrie Dew as only ND players to start every game in ’05 … 2nd-leading scorer for ’04 NCAA champs (12G-8A; ND record 27 GP) … scored gamewinning goals in ’04 NCAAs vs. UConn (2-0) and Santa Clara (1-0, semifinal) … named to ’04 College Cup all-tournament team … serves as 2005 team co-captain … member of Student-Athlete Advisory Council.

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Christie Shaner is one of many impressive academic performers on the Irish women’s soccer team, compiling a 3.53 GPA as a design major.

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Christie Shaner (3.37 GPA, design major; junior left back; Ambler, PA) – picked up third team all-BIG EAST honors in ’05 after earning 2nd team in 2003 and 3rd team in ’04 … ranks 2nd on ’05 team with 1,490 minutes played (75/gm) … defensive standout who has helped amass 63-6-2 record in ’03-’05 (70 GP/68 consecutive; 64 GS) … earned 2nd team Academic All-District V honors in ’04 … named BIG EAST rookie of the year in ’03 … helped win ’04 NCAA title before posting 3.53 semester GPA … helped ND lead nation in ’04 with 16 shutouts (4th with 0.51 GAA) … set ND record with 27 GP in season (’04) … called into 2004 U.S. Under-21 National Team camps … has studied Portugese. … scored header goal to open scoring at #20 West Virginia in `094 (3-1), adding another header score in BIG EAST quarterfinal vs. St. John’s (7-0).