CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State had six student-athletes named to the 2015 Horizon League Fall Academic All-League teams that were announced on Friday afternoon.
Junior Ashlyn Woods was voted to the cross country team, while junior Marissa Sarsfield was named to the women's soccer team. Junior Sergio Manesio and senior Mustafa Raychouni were tabbed selections on the men's soccer team, while volleyball was represented by junior Grace Kauth and sophomore Alexis Middlebrooks.
CSU's six honorees were tied for the second most in the League behind Detroit and Oakland who each had eight.
Woods is making her second straight appearance on the academic all-league team. She was one of CSU's top two finishers in eight races this year, including a 32nd place finish at the Horizon League Championship. She was also the Vikings top finisher at the Great Lakes Regional. A speech and hearing major, Woods has a 3.87 GPA.
Sarsfield is making her first appearance on the academic all-league team as she sports a 3.96 GPA as a chemical engineering major. She was a key component of a CSU defense which posted five shutouts this year as the Vikings advanced to the league tournament.
Manesio, a captain on the men's soccer team, carries a 3.76 GPA as a finance major and was recently named the named the Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Fall Season. A Dean's List Honoree, he is making his second straight appearance on the all-academic team.
Starting the 2015 season as a forward, Manesio moved to defense in the fourth game of the year leading the Vikings backline to six shutouts over the final eight matches to earn a berth in the Horizon League semifinal match. He was named to the 2015 Horizon League men's soccer Defensive Player of the Year as well as voted to the All-Horizon League First Team for the third time in his three seasons. In addition, he earned Horizon League All-Tournament team accolades.
Raychouni is making his first appearance on the academic all-league team. He carries a 3.49 GPA as a liberal studies major. A member of the Horizon League All-Tournament team, he was a key component of the CSU defense at left back, helping the Vikings to seven shutouts, including in six of the last eight games.
Kauth, who was named to the team for the second straight year, was tabbed the Horizon League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Fall season. She holds a 3.88 GPA as a marketing major.
On the court Kauth led the Vikings to the Horizon League Regular Season and Tournament titles. Her individual accolades include making the 2015 Horizon League First Team and All-Tournament team. Kauth became the 16th Viking all-time to record 1,000 career hits finishing the 2015 season ranked in the top-10 in the Cleveland State record book in kills per set, attack attempts and points per set. She finished the year ranked fifth in the Horizon League in kills per set averaging 3.58 and also ranked fifth in points per set with 4.00. The Vikings made their third NCAA Tournament appearance with Kauth at the lead, starting all 33 matches and posting 458 kills, 338 digs and 29 service aces throughout the season.
Middlebrooks carries a 3.42 GPA as a criminology major and helped the Vikings capture the Horizon League regular season and tournament titles. She finished the year with 361 kills and a team-high 146 total blocks. Cleveland State's most efficient offensive player, Middlebrooks notched a team-best .329 hitting percentage – a mark that ranked third among Horizon League players. Middlebrooks' 146 total blocks marked a Horizon League best for the season, while she also ranks 34th nationally in the category in the most recent NCAA Statistics Report.
The Horizon League recognizes student-athletes with seasonal Academic All-League Teams in each of its 19 championship sports. To be eligible for Academic All-Horizon League consideration, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.20 or higher (based on a 4.00 scale) and have completed at least one year at the member institution, having earned 24 semester-hour or 36 quarter-hour credits.
