Published: 07/09/2021
Nicole Wiemken, Joel Leise, and Abe Holmes
ERIE, Pa. – Three Golden Knights were named to the CoSIDA Men's and Women's At-Large Academic All-District Teams announced by the organization on Thursday afternoon.
Nicole Wiemken (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon),
Joel Leise (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) and
Abe Holmes (Barrie, Ontario/Barrie North Collegiate) received First Team All-District II honors for their efforts in the classroom and their athletic achievements.
The 2020-21 Academic All-District Men's and Women's At-Large Teams, selected by CoSIDA members, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their performances in athletic competition and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Wiemken, Leise and Holmes each advance to the CoSIDA At-Large Academic All-America ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in early August.
On the women's side, water polo's
Nicole Wiemken (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon) earned First Team All-District recognition for the first time in her career and second academic honor of the season, holding a 3.49 GPA in chemistry. Wiemken was the top scorer for the Golden Knights, totaling 55 goals and 20 assists.
The two-time All-American matched a program record with 10 goals in a single game in the Golden Knights 19-18 overtime victory over Virginia Military. She led Gannon to a WWPA Semifinal appearance after posting seven goals against McKendree in the conference quarterfinals.
For the men's At-Large selections, wrestling's
Joel Leise (Transfer, Pa./Reynolds) and golf's
Abe Holmes (Barrie, Ontario/Barrie North Collegiate) also received their first career All-District honors.
Leise holds a 3.79 GPA in mechanical engineering. The Transfer, Pa. native went 4-4 overall with one major decision and two pins, including his 58-second pin in the regional quarterfinals in the 197-pound division.
He helped the program earn its first NCAA Regional title after he finished second to qualify for the National Championships where the Knights recorded a ninth-place team finish.
Holmes receives his second academic recognition of the week after he was named to the PSAC Top 12 List. The Barrie, Ontario native boasts a 3.86 GPA as a business major. He averaged a team-best 74.3 over 20 rounds for the Golden Knights and registered seven top 10 finishes, including four in the top five.
The junior helped Gannon win its first NCAA regional championship in program history with a 19th place finish. He followed it up at the NCAA Championships carding a team-best seventh place finish.