College Sports Communicators Release
SEWARD, Neb. – For their work in the classroom and on the playing field, standouts Savannah Andrews, Hannah Kile, Niah Kirchner and Grace Soenksen of the Concordia University Women’s Soccer program have been honored by College Sports Communicators. The organization named each of those four Bulldogs to its 2023 Academic All-District Women’s Soccer Team released on Tuesday (Nov. 21). All four Concordia honorees have earned this recognition for the first time in their careers.
The 2023 Academic All-District® Men’s and Women's Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. Nominees also had to meet specific requirements in terms of games played and games started during the 2023 season. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes soccer honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA — for each gender.
A Gretna, Neb., native, Andrews achieved First Team All-GPAC status as a sophomore in 2023. She tallied 13 goals and four assists in amassing 30 points (second most on the team). Andrews posted multiple goals in three games, including her four-goal performance in the 8-1 win over Mount Marty. Andrews played in 19 games and made 18 starts in 2023. She played in 15 games and tallied four goals as a freshman in 2022. Andrews is studying Elementary Education.
Another of the team’s five First Team All-GPAC award winners in 2023, Kile served as a key cog in the back line this fall. A Lincoln native and Raymond Central High School alum, Kile has started each of the first 38 games of her collegiate career. She posted a pair of goals in 2023. More significantly, Kile helped the Bulldogs rank third in the GPAC for goals against average (0.80). Kile is majoring in Criminal Justice and Psychology.
The Millard West High School product Kirchner has been a force as a defensive midfielder while starting as both a freshman and sophomore. She was named First Team All-GPAC in 2023. The Omaha native notched one goal and two assists this fall. As a freshman, Kirchner tallied three goals and four assists. She’s an unsung hero for her work in the middle of the park. As of the start of the fall semester, Kirchner’s major was undecided.
Chosen as the 2023 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year, Soenksen will go down as one of the all-time greats in the history of the program. The Lincoln Lutheran High School alum played in 92 games over her five collegiate seasons and led the 2020 squad to a GPAC tournament title. Soenksen has done something no other Bulldog ever has – earn four first team all-conference awards. Soenksen has garnered such recognition while holding down a spot at center back throughout her career. This past season, Soenksen served as a major reason why Concordia limited its foes to 16 goals over 20 games. Soenksen contributed six goals over the course of her impressive career. Soenksen earned her degree from Concordia in Conservation Biology (minors in Environmental Studies and Geography).
Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced on Dec. 20.