Concordia Chicago’s Kari Zielke named First-Team Academic All-District
RIVER FOREST, Ill. -- Kari Zielke (Elmhurst, Ill. – Walther Lutheran H.S.), forward/midfielder for the Concordia University Chicago women’s soccer team, has been named as a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District (Midwest) by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Zielke’s honor follows on the heels of second and third-team regional recognition in 2006 and 2007 respectively from the organization.

Student-athletes qualifying for the honors must carry a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale while achieving at least full-time sophomore status (freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible) and making significant contributions to his or her team.

Zielke finished her four-year career this season as the Cougar women’s all-time leading scorer. In 2008, she tallied seven goals and one assist to bring her final career totals to 48 goals, 14 assists and 110 points. Zielke led the Cougars in scoring all four seasons and earned all-conference mention her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. In addition, Zielke was named to the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference All-Academic team in 2005 and to the Northern Athletics Conference list of Scholar-Athletes in 2006 and 2007.

Concordia head coach Marsha Panfil said of Zielke, “This is an outstanding achievement for Kari. She is the perfect example of someone that we want representing our soccer program. Kari has been a tremendous player and a great team leader while also maintaining the highest standards in her academics. I am very proud that she is being given this honor.”

Zielke, the daughter of Stephen and Kari Zielke, is a senior elementary education major with a concentration in mathematics and has earned a 3.94 grade point average. 

Courtesy of Concordia University Chicago, Sports Information Department, October 30, 2008.