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P.J. Thiesen - University of St. Thomas Track and Football - This five-time All-American holds the St. Thomas records for career receptions, reception yardage and single season receiving touchdowns, which pretty much makes him the best wide receiver to ever pass through Elko, Minnesota. He also earned All-MIAC distinction 26 times in track and was named 2006 Outstanding Track Performer at the MIAC Indoor meet. Thiesen holds a 3.93 GPA in Accounting and Finance (sounds hard) and was named to the American Football Coaches' Association Good Work Team in recognition of his volunteer work with the National Veteran's Wheelchair Games and the St. Paul school's "Read, Read, Read" program. Lindsay Ippel - Millikin University Basketball - The most potent female b-baller in the country, Ippel led the nation in scoring in 2006-2007, averaging 25.9 ppg. This season, she let down her guard just a bit, averaging a mere 25.1 ppg, which was still good enough to top the DIII women's ranks. She set 17 records at Millikin, including "points in a career" (2,017), "30+ point games in a season" (9) and "career field goal percentage" (.598). Stellare off the court too, Ippel holds a 3.54 GPA in nursing and was named College Division Academic All-American of the Year.  NCAA Swimmer of the Year Caroline Burckle won two national championships in the 200 and 500 freestyle. Caroline Burckle - University of Florida Swimming - This spring, 2008 NCAA Swimmer of the Year Caroline Burckle won two national championships in the 200 and 500 freestyle, setting a new Gators' record in each race. The 23-time All American also holds SEC record times for the 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay. Set to compete in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Burckle is a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Roberto Castro - Georgia Tech Golf - Castro is a four-time Golf Coaches Association of America All-American, a recipient of the 2007 Byron Nelson Award as the outstanding senior golfer in DI and a two-time member of the United States team for the Palmer Cup Matches. Not to be ignored is the fact that he's an industrial engineering major who was twice named CoSIDA academic All-American and has won the ACC Postgraduate Scholarship Award. Somehow, Castro still finds time to serve on the Student-Athlete Advisory board and volunteer for the Special Olympics. Katie Heenan - University of Georgia Gymnastics - During the 2008 SEC Championships, Heenan became Georgia's all-time career scoring leader. She has won 81 individual event titles and was the 2007 SEC Gymnast of the Year, but more importantly, each of Heenan's four years in Athens, the Gym Dogs won NCAA titles. A middle school education major, Heenan volunteers for the Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity and Relay for Life and is a SEC Academic Honor Roll member and a SEC Community Service Team member. Tristan Murray - James Madison University Soccer - A two-year captain on the JMU soccer team, Murray led the Dukes to the NCAA Tournament his junior year. As a defensive midfielder, he didn't put up flashy statistics - one goal his senior season - but he's a fast, relentless defender, good enough to play on the Canadian Under-20 national team in 2004. He's also really smart. A finance major who compiled a 3.75 GPA, Murray is a five-time Dean's List honoree, an Arthur Ashe Scholar and JMU's Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. Sarah Zerzan - Willamette University Cross Country - A two-time NCAA Division III national champion in cross country, Zerzan holds five school records in both cross country and outdoor track events. She's a five-time academic all-American, a member of Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society and was selected by school faculty as the Analytical Chemistry Student of the Year. As if that wasn't enough, Zerzan also helped co-found Willamette's chapter of the Student Global AIDS Campaign and mentors at local schools.
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