INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis claimed five Academic All-America selections on Thursday as the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) released the 2020-21 Academic All-America® At-Large teams. The Greyhounds earned a pair of First Team honors in Renato Lima (men's tennis) and Marizel van Jaarsveld (women's swimming and diving) while Nikol Alekseeva (women's tennis) picked up Second Team honors. Oliver Mast (men's golf) and Pilar Echeverria (women's golf) were both named to the Third Team.
The at-large segment for the Academic All-America® program draws from a vast number of sports. The annual release recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. UIndy is the only team in the Great Lakes Valley Conference to have multiple honorees.
UIndy's five honorees join men's soccer's Dimitrios Karousos, women's soccer Dana Youssef, football's Toriano Clinton and Connor Steeb, and softball's Hallie Waters to bring the Hounds' 2020-21 Academic All-America® total to ten. Track & field/Cross Country award winners, the year's final set of Academic All-Americans, will be released August 11.
For the fourth consecutive season Renato Lima brought home All-GLVC honors. The 2020-21 campaign saw the senior claim the ITA DII Midwest Regional double title while finishing second in singles action. Lima led the Hounds to a 19-4 record with their fifth Midwest Regional Championship title and their second ever National Semifinal appearance. The Sao Paulo, Brazil native carries a 3.90 GPA, double majoring in Finance and Business Administration & Management.
Marizel van Jaarsveld was a seven-time All-American in 2021 alone, bringing home national titles in both the 200 IM and 400 free relay. She placed in the top four in three other individual events: 3rd in 200 fly, 4th in 100 free and 4th in 100 IM. The South Africa native helped UIndy to national runner-up stats in the 800 free relay and a 4th place finish in the 400 medley relay. She posted six top-three finishes at the 2021 GLVC Championships including two individual titles in the 100 free and 200 fly. van Jaarsveld currently holds four school records in the 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 freestyle relay and 800 freestyle relay. A CSCAA DII Scholar All-American, she carries a 3.88 GPA in Psychology.
Nikol Alekseeva guided women's tennis to a stellar 23-1 season with program's fifth Midwest Region Championship and their first ever appearance in the DII National Championship. Alekseeva was the 2020 ITA Midwest Region Singles and Doubles Champion as well as played an integral part of the 2021 ITA National Indoor Champion team. Alekseeva garnered national attention with the ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award while also being named the GLVC Women's Tennis Scholar Athlete of the Year. The Moscow, Russia native is double majoring in Marketing and Business Administration while boasting a 3.90 GPA.
Oliver Mast was voted the GLVC Player of the Year for the second time in three seasons, becoming just the sixth multi-year winner. He was also named the GLVC Paragon Award recipient as the league's top senior student-athlete as well as the GLVC Men's Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year. The Fortville, Ind. native owns the sixth-lowest career scoring average in UIndy history at 73.7. Mast placed sixth at Regionals this past spring and later helped the Hounds to their first semifinal appearance at the NCAA DII Championships. Mast was named to the GCAA All-Region Team and carries a 3.70 GPA, studying Business Administration and Management.
Pilar Echeverria will go down as the most decorated Hounds in women's golf history. She closes her career with two-straight GLVC Women's Golf Scholar Athlete of the Year selections plus five consecutive WGCA All-America nods. The Guatemala City native guided the Hounds to a national quarterfinal appearance while carrying a 73.6 scoring average. Echeverria posted eight top-five finishes with two wins in 11 tournaments. She carries a 3.95 GPA while pursuing a master's degree in Data Analytics. This is her second straight CoSIDA Academic All-America® selection.
