Tusculum’s Fliesser Named Women’s Soccer Academic All-American

BRISTOL, Conn. --- Tusculum College's Denise Fliesser has been named to the ESPN Academic All-America® Women's Soccer College Division First Team announced Tuesday in voting by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Fliesser becomes the fifth student-athlete in school history to earn Academic All-America® honors and the first women's soccer player ever.

Fliesser joins current baseball standout Mike Calano (2003 - 3rd Team), former women's tennis player Pam Holt (2002 - 2nd Team), cross country runner Heather Rhoton (1999 - 3rd Team) and men's soccer goalkeeper Tony Swaminathan (2002 - 2nd Team) as the only Pioneers to garner Academic All-America® status.

Fliesser, a junior defender from London, Ontario, Canada, started in all 19 matches for the Pioneers this season, recording four goals and three assists for her 11 points on the year. She was honored earlier this month, being named the 2004 South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year for women's soccer, becoming the first player in the program's history to earn that prestigious accolade.

She was named to the 2004 All-SAC Second Team as the Pioneers went 14-4-1, while claiming a share of this year's SAC title. Tusculum also advanced to the SAC Tournament final for the fourth time in five years.

Fliesser has a 4.00 cumulative grade point average majoring in Physical Education. Her honors include: 2003-04 Duffield Award winner, presented to the top Tusculum female student-athlete for academic achievement, a two-time Academic All-District selection and was the co-recipient of the 2002-03 Tusculum College Female Freshman of the Year Academic Award. The Pope John Paul II High School graduate is also a member of the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

The ESPN Academic All-America Teams are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member CoSIDA. To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Sports information directors nominate eligible athletes from their schools who were named to district teams prior to being voted upon at the national level.