April 22, 2013
CHICAGO - Seven winter sport student-athletes from Loyola University Chicago have been named to their respective sport's Horizon League All-Academic Team, as announced today by the league office. Loyola's seven total student-athletes selected are tied for fifth among Horizon League schools.
Senior Ben Averkamp (Germantown, Wis., Germantown South) was one of five Horizon League student-athletes named to the All-Academic team for men's basketball. Averkamp, a biology major, appeared in 25 games this year for head coach Porter Moser's squad, averaging 14.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg in his final season in Rogers Park. For his efforts, he earned Second Team All-Horizon League honors. Averkamp was also named a Capital One Second Team Academic All-American becoming the first-ever member of the men's basketball program to garner the accolade.
Six members of Loyola's Horizon League Champion track & field squads were selected to their respective All-Academic teams. Seniors Declan Murray (Strongsville, Ohio, St. Ignatius) and Mike Wetzel (Green Bay, Wis., Ashwaubenon), junior Ryan Van Portfliet (Parker, Colo., Regis Jesuit) and sophomore Sam Penzenstadler (Oshkosh, Wis., West) represented the men's side, while seniors Gina Valgoi (Detroit, Mich., Regina) and Candice Carajohn (Seneca, Ill., Seneca) were the women's honorees.
All six played a vital role in helping Loyola to a clean sweep of the team titles at the 2013 Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Championships in February. The men claimed their first league crown since 1980, while the women laid claim to their first league championship in program history. Murray, a psychology and economics double major, and Valgoi, an accounting major, both made appearances at the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships in March. Murray garnered First Team All-America honors for his third-place finish in the 800m. Valgoi was named a Second Team All-American, a first for the women's side in program history, in the 5000m.
The Horizon League recognizes student-athletes with season 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 4.0 scale) and have completed at least one year at the member institution, having earned 24 semester-hour or 36 quarter-hour credits.
