University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Photo by: Matt Hawley/Pitt Athletics
School-Record Six Panthers Named to All-ACC Academic Team
1/27/2022 1:54:00 PM | Women's Soccer
GREENSBORO, N.C. — A school-record six Panthers, Kate McKay, Landy Mertz, Athalie Palomo, Sarah Schupansky, Amanda West and Emily Yaple, were named to the All-ACC Academic Women's Soccer Team, the conference announced Thursday. West becomes the first in program history to receive the academic distinction three times, having received the honor every season at Pitt.
McKay, Palomo and Yaple are the only other Panthers to garner the award twice. Pitt has had 14 selections since joining the league in 2013 with 10 coming in the last two years.
A Biological Sciences major and a senior academically, West has a 3.47 cumulative GPA. By far the most decorated player in school history, West earned All-ACC and All-Atlantic Region Third-Teams and CoSIDA Academic All-District Two Team this season. Despite missing seven games this fall, West ranked in the ACC second in game-winning goals (five), tied for fifth in goals (10) and tied for sixth in points (23).
McKay started at centerback for the third-straight season in Pittsburgh and ranked second on the team in minutes played (1,411). She also produced offensively in her Panthers' career with four goals and six assists. A three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection, she will graduate in April with a Bachelor's of Science in Biology, a minor in Chemistry and a certificate in Sustainability. She improved her cumulative GPA to 3.61 with a 3.65 fall semester GPA.
Palomo has started in all 51 games of her career as an outside back for the Panthers. Offensively she had the primary assist in Schupansky's golden goal at then-No. 16 Oklahoma State. A two-time ACC Honor Roll selection as well, the Environmental Science major has a 3.49 cumulative GPA.
Yaple has earned the academic award in both seasons of her collegiate career. The midfielder ranked third on the team in goals (five), all of the highlight variety. Undeclared in her major, she possesses a 3.66 cumulative GPA.
A senior academically, Mertz has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA at Pitt and also at her previous school, Dayton. In her first full season at Pitt, the Rehabilitation Science major led the team in assists (seven) along with two goals. She came on strong late in the season with four assists in the last three wins of the season against Syracuse, Boston College and NC State.
Schupansky had one of the best freshman campaigns by a Panther with the seventh-most points (20) in a single-season and tied for seventh in goals (seven). She ranked tied for ninth in points per game (1.11) in the ACC and registered two braces in wins over Towson and Cleveland State. Enrolling early last spring after graduating early from nearby North Allegheny High School, she has turned in a 3.85 GPA after two semesters.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one's academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the team.
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McKay, Palomo and Yaple are the only other Panthers to garner the award twice. Pitt has had 14 selections since joining the league in 2013 with 10 coming in the last two years.
A Biological Sciences major and a senior academically, West has a 3.47 cumulative GPA. By far the most decorated player in school history, West earned All-ACC and All-Atlantic Region Third-Teams and CoSIDA Academic All-District Two Team this season. Despite missing seven games this fall, West ranked in the ACC second in game-winning goals (five), tied for fifth in goals (10) and tied for sixth in points (23).
McKay started at centerback for the third-straight season in Pittsburgh and ranked second on the team in minutes played (1,411). She also produced offensively in her Panthers' career with four goals and six assists. A three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection, she will graduate in April with a Bachelor's of Science in Biology, a minor in Chemistry and a certificate in Sustainability. She improved her cumulative GPA to 3.61 with a 3.65 fall semester GPA.
Palomo has started in all 51 games of her career as an outside back for the Panthers. Offensively she had the primary assist in Schupansky's golden goal at then-No. 16 Oklahoma State. A two-time ACC Honor Roll selection as well, the Environmental Science major has a 3.49 cumulative GPA.
Yaple has earned the academic award in both seasons of her collegiate career. The midfielder ranked third on the team in goals (five), all of the highlight variety. Undeclared in her major, she possesses a 3.66 cumulative GPA.
A senior academically, Mertz has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA at Pitt and also at her previous school, Dayton. In her first full season at Pitt, the Rehabilitation Science major led the team in assists (seven) along with two goals. She came on strong late in the season with four assists in the last three wins of the season against Syracuse, Boston College and NC State.
Schupansky had one of the best freshman campaigns by a Panther with the seventh-most points (20) in a single-season and tied for seventh in goals (seven). She ranked tied for ninth in points per game (1.11) in the ACC and registered two braces in wins over Towson and Cleveland State. Enrolling early last spring after graduating early from nearby North Allegheny High School, she has turned in a 3.85 GPA after two semesters.
Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one's academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the team.
#H2P | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
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/ Women's SoccerThursday, December 14
Thursday, December 14
Thursday, December 14
Thursday, December 14