Odinaka Named Second Team Academic All-American

November 19, 2007

Illinois Wesleyan senior forward Ikenna Odinaka has been elected to the second team of the ESPN: The Magazine Academic All-America men’s soccer squads chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Odinaka has a 4.0 grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) as a double major in physics and mathematics. He is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa honorary academic societies and serves as a tutor on campus in mathematics, physics, computer science and the use of Mathematica global computer environment.

The first IWU men's soccer player to earn Academic All-American honors, Odinaka is also a member of the Titan Catholic Board, African Students Association, and the Society of Physics Students. Odinaka plans to attend graduate school in electrical, electronics and computer engineering.

Odinaka was a second team all-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin selection this fall as he scored three goals with one assist. He was the "Most Improved Player" in 2005, a season that saw him score two goals within 17 seconds in a 2-1 upset win over nationally-ranked Wheaton.

To be considered for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® squads, players must be of at least sophomore standing, have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 (of 4.0), and be a starter or first-line reserve. A voting board representing the 1,800 members of CoSIDA chooses the teams.

Odinaka’s selection gives Illinois Wesleyan a total of 107 Academic All-America berths earned by Titan students since the program began, a total eclipsed by only eight other schools, including Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State, UCLA and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206