While Sarah Emigh and Susanna Garcia both anxiously look ahead to the Chico State women's soccer team's upcoming fall season, the two Wildcat standouts can also look back with pride at what they accomplished off the pitch during the 2020–21 academic year. For their outstanding work in the classroom, Emigh and Garcia were among 15 West Region players named Thursday to receive First Team Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
There could be even more academic accolades coming their way in the near future. Emigh and Garcia now move on to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot, with honorees announced on July 6. Recipients are determined by voting of CoSIDA membership.
Thursday's announcement marks the second time that Emigh has received CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. Earlier during the academic year, she was named to the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Fall Academic Honor Roll, and has also won five CCAA All-Academic awards, two Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Awards, and a United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-West Region Scholar award. In 2018 Emigh was the recipient of the CCAA women's soccer Championship Scholar Award.
The owner of a pair of bachelor's degrees, Emigh currently is part of the prestigious Chico State nursing program.
An exercise physiology major, Garcia adds her first CoSIDA Academic All-District award to an impressive array of education accolades. The pride of Brentwood was also named to the CCAA Fall Academic Honor Roll, and during the 2019–20 academic year Garcia earned CCAA All-Academic honors as well as a Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award.
The exceptional work Emigh and Garcia have put into their studies mirror the duo's terrific play on the pitch. Emigh is a two-time CCAA and All-West Region selection, while Garcia won All-CCAA honors in 2019 and was named the conference's Freshman of the Year in 2018.
CoSIDA began the distinguished Academic All-America program in 1952, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all NCAA divisions for their success in the classroom and on the field of play.
