The Capital One / CoSida Division III Men's Soccer Academic All-America team

Macalester's Taylor Rasmussen (Jr., Eagan, Minn. / Eastview) has been selected as a Capital One / CoSida Academic All-American selection in men's soccer.  The fourth Academic All-American in the program's history, Rasmussen is a third-team selection.  He is Macalester's 16th Academic All-America selection since 1982 and first since 2005.

A Mathematics and Applied Statistics double major at Macalester with a 3.81 cumulative grade point average, Rasmussen led the Scots to a 10-7-1 record and fourth-place MIAC finish by scoring 14 goals.  He was the MIAC goal-scoring champ each of the last two years.

Our program is delighted with the recognition Taylor has received for his performance on the field and in the classroom," said Coach Ian Barker.  "He embodies the best qualities of the MIAC student-athlete. He is a team leader for us and though only a junior has already lead the MIAC in scoring twice, won two MIAC championships and has been to two NCAA tournaments. All this while performing so well in the classroom speaks volumes to his character, athleticism and scholarship."

Rasmussen will head into his senior season with 32 career goals – sixth on Mac's all-time list.

The Capital One Academic All-America program honors student-athletes annually who have succeeded at the highest level in athletics and in the classroom. Members of the eight First Team Academic All-District squads in each Division advance to the national ballot, where they have the opportunity to be selected for the ESPN Academic All-America Team. Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA; a 2,000-plus member organization consisted of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Division I, II, III, NAIA and junior colleges covering all NCAA championship sports.

MACALESTER'S ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS:
1982 – Scott Lilja, football
1982 – Lee Schaefer, football
1982 – Karla Ballman, volleyball
1982 – Katherine Mueller, volleyball
1982 – Kathy Trost, volleyball
1986 – Mary Moriarty, softball
1986 – Julia Kirtland, track & field
1987 – Jeff Freedman, tennis
1987 – Julia Kirtland, track & field
1991 – Mark Omodt, football
1991 – Scott DeGeus, football
1998 – Dan Welch, soccer
1999 – Betsy Colby, tennis
2000 – Roland Broughton, soccer
2000 – Betsy Colby, tennis
2001 – Kimani Williams, soccer
2005 – Kate Larson, water polo
2011 – Taylor Rasmussen, soccer