2019 CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT - MEN'S SOCCER

MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg University forward Daniel Hedstrom (SR, Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown HS) was named to the Academic All-District 6 Men's Soccer Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), it was announced on Thursday.

A marketing major with a 3.66 grade-point average, Hedstrom was one of four defenders named to the 11-member academic elite squad, made up of top NCAA Division III men's soccer student-athletes from schools in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. It's the second time Hedstrom has earned a scholar-athlete honor as an Auggie; last year, he was named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America first team and Scholar All-North/Central Region first team.

One of the most dominant defenders in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Hedstrom served as the Auggies' "sweeper," the last line of defense before the goalkeeper. The Auggie defense produced a 1.28 team goals-against-average in 2019, including six shutouts in its 9-6-3 overall record (4-5-1 MIAC) under 16th-year head coach Greg Holker. Hedstrom continued to be a dynamic player on set pieces for the Auggies, using his 6-foot, 5-inch frame to elevate for four goals and two assists for 10 points, second-best on the team in scoring in 2019. He played in 1,516 of a possible 1,591 minutes in 17 games this season -- an incredible 95.3 percent of time spent on the field.

Last season, Hedstrom had an incredible campaign, scoring eight goals with an assist, while playing 1,823 of Augsburg's 1,889 minutes (96.5 percent). He became the second Auggie men's soccer player to ever earn United Soccer Coaches (formerly NSCAA) All-America honors, named as a second-team defender. He also earned United Soccer Coaches All-North Region first-team honors and All-MIAC honors.

A two-year team captain, Hedstrom played in 47 games in three seasons at Augsburg, after playing his first season (14 games) at Division II Northern Michigan. He finished his Auggie career with 12 goals and four assists for 28 points. Hedstrom was a member of Auggie teams that went 29-19-8 in his three Auggie seasons, with an MIAC playoff runner-up finish and NCAA Division III national tournament berth last season.

The CoSIDA Academic All-District team is part of the CoSIDA Academic All-America program. Top student-athletes from NCAA Division III programs in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan are eligible for inclusion on the District 6 team, one of eight Division III districts nationwide. Student-athletes must have a grade-point average above 3.30 (4.0 scale) and have outstanding athletic credentials. College sports information directors in the district vote for the teams.

This is the ninth year of the expanded Academic All-America program, with separate teams comprising NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III participants, along with a College Division team of NAIA, Canadian and two-year schools. First-team Academic All-District members advance to the Academic All-America ballot, voted on by a committee of CoSIDA members. 

The Division III Academic All-America program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the Division III Academic All-America teams program.

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(NOTE: Story includes information taken from CoSIDA Academic All-District release).