Juniors Sam Johnson and Erika Swenson were named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team.

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/06/09)-- Concordia juniors Sam Johnson (Fargo, N.D./Fargo North HS) and Erika Swenson (Fargo, N.D./Fargo North HS) were named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team it was announced on Wednesday.

It is the first time either player has earned the prestigious academic honor. The duo will now advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration. He was one of six MIAC men's soccer student/athletes chosen to the first team. The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America women's soccer team will be announced on Tuesday, November 17.

The pair helped Concordia win third MIAC regular season title in the past four seasons. The Cobbers posted their first unbeaten record in MIAC play in program history. CC went 10-0-1 in league play and won the conference title by two full games. Concordia was also 15-0-1 during the regular season and was one of only four teams in the nation to go unbeaten in the regular season.

Johnson led the MIAC in scoring with 21 goals and three assists for 45 points. She scored at least one goal in the last 11 consecutive games and had at least two goals in four games during that stretch. Johnson currently has 92 career points and is on the verge of becoming the fourth player in program history to achieve the historic 100-point milestone.

Swenson was part of the Cobber defense that finished the year by only allowing five goals in 11 league games - tops in the MIAC. Concordia led the conference in goals against average and shutouts in conference games. The Cobbers have only allowed 10 goals all season which is also the best in the MIAC. Although she got injured earlier in the season, she has been a three-year starter on the team's backline and since the injury has been a leader on the sideline.

The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District team is part of the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America program, administered by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. The Academic All-America program annually honors over 1600 student-athletes who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom.

Top student-athletes from non-Division I programs in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ontario and Manitoba are eligible for inclusion on the district team. To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his current institution and be nominated by his sports information director.