Saxons’ Lander named CoSIDA Academic All-American
Alfred University men's soccer player
Richard Lander (Narrowsburg, NY/Sullivan West) has earned national recognition for his performance on the field and in the classroom.
The College Sports Information Directors Association announced its CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-American teams Monday and Lander, a junior midfielder, was named to the Second Team.
The CoSIDA academic honors program takes into consideration excellence in the classroom and on the playing field. Student-athletes are eligible if they have a grade point average of at least 3.30. Lander, a mechanical engineering major, has a cumulative GPA of 3.96. He finished the 2015 season leading the Saxons in goals (11), assists (nine) and points (31).
Lander earned CoSIDA/Capital One Region 3 honors last month; only 33 all-region picks nationwide are named to the three Academic All-American teams. He becomes just the second AU men's soccer Academic All-American in program history, joining Jon Bridges, who earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Adidas all-academic honors in 2001.
He is the first AU student-athlete to be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American since 2001, when former swimming standout Todd Striker earned CoSIDA/GTE Academic All-American recognition for a second straight year.
Lander is a three-time Empire 8 Conference all-star, having earned Second Team honors as a freshman and sophomore and First Team recognition this year.
Alfred finished the year with a 10-5-3 record (3-3-1 Empire 8) and ended the season with a shootout loss to Manhattanville in the first round of the ECAC Metro/Upstate Championship Tournament.