Valparaiso women’s soccer seniors Rita Craven (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) and Jenny Fassbinder (Hudson, Wis./Hudson) have both been named First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District V honorees, as announced by the organization today.  Both Craven and Fassbinder, who repeat as First Team Academic All-District recipients, are be eligible for Academic All-America honors.

Fassbinder earns the Academic All-District honor for the second straight season after being named an NSCAA Third Team Scholar All-American last season as a junior. An NSCAA Second Team All-Region honoree last season, Fassbinder helped anchor the best defense in program history. This season, she has seen action all over the field for the Crusaders and scored a goal in Valpo’s Horizon League win over UIC. Fassbinder currently holds a 3.96 cumulative GPA as a biology major, with minors in psychology and chemistry.

Craven also repeats as an Academic All-District honoree after earning a spot on the NSCAA Scholar All-American First Team last year. A member of the preseason Hermann Trophy watch list, Craven was a Third Team All-American and Horizon League Player of the Year last season as a junior. This year, Craven owns six goals and three assists, ranking fourth in the league in goals and points. For her career, Craven has nine match-winning goals, just one shy of Valpo’s all-time record, and ranks ninth in program history in both goals (14) and assists (9). In the classroom, Craven holds a 3.97 cumulative GPA as a biology major, with minors in psychology and chemistry.

To be eligible for Academic All-District and Academic All-America, student-athletes must hold at least sophomore status, own a minimum grade-point average of 3.30, and be either a starter or key reserve.  District V consists of schools in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.