For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

May 12, 2008

6 Red Devils named to SLIAC All-Academic Team

EUREKA — The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has announced its Spring Sports All-Academic Team, citing six Eureka College student-athletes.  Five are two-time members of the squad, having been named to the All-Academic team last year.

The six Red Devils honored were Elby Cox (Morton, Ill./HS), Emily Forbes (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais), Mary Garbett (Georgetown, Ohio/Western Brown), Nick Knoblauch (Metamora, Ill./HS), Ebony Thomas (Peoria, Ill./Manual) and Alyssa Wetterauer (Washington, Ill./HS).

A sophomore chemistry major, Cox is Eureka's lone first year honoree.  He played 12 matches for the EC men's tennis team at No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles in his first season on the squad.  Following the season, he was named the team's Most Improved player by head coach Jacob Beard.

Forbes, the only EC senior on the list, was one of nine athletes conference-wide to make the academic team for two sports.  The mathematics major was one of four athletes in the conference to be named to the All-Academic team twice as well as receive All-Conference recognition in two sports.  After finishing a stellar four-year volleyball career, Forbes led the Red Devils softball team in stolen bases (18) and runs scored (32) this season en route to Second Team All-SLIAC honors.

Garbett, a sophomore pre-veterinary medicine major, made her second appearance on the all-academic team for softball.  She was also cited for volleyball by the SLIAC last season.  Also an NFCA Scholar Athlete last season, Garbett received a Fine and Performing Arts scholarship for her work in theater.

Another second-year member of the team, Knoblauch tied for the Eureka baseball team lead with 25 runs scored and 25 runs batted in this season while carrying a double major in accounting and business administration.  The junior third baseman also led the team with five home runs.  A three-year member of the team, Knoblauch was named team MVP his freshman year in 2006.

A sociology and psychology major, Thomas has now made the all-academic team in back-to-back years for women's tennis.  An Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar nominee, Thomas won a total of 10 matches this spring.  She posted a 4-4 No. 2 singles mark and 5-3 record at No. 2 doubles.

Wetterauer, a sophomore chemistry major, played 12 singles and doubles matches all at the No. 1 position for the EC women's tennis team.  Also a member of the 2006-07 all-academic team, Wetterauer has earned a total of 19 victories, all at No. 1 singles or doubles, in her first two years at Eureka.

To receive Academic All-Conference recognition for the spring season, recipients had to be members of their school's baseball, softball, men's golf, women's tennis or men's tennis team and meet the following requirements: (1). minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average, (2) at least sophomore standing and
(3) have at least one full year at current institution.

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For More Information Contact:

Bryan Moore
Sports Information Director
Eureka College
300 E. College Avenue
Eureka, Illinois 61530
309-467-6456
bmoore@eureka.edu