Soccer's Raplinger, Sullivan get academic honors

November 6, 2003
St. Thomas had one men's soccer player and one women's soccer player make first-team Co-SIDA Academic All-District. Both players go onto the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration.

Defender Matt Raplinger (SR-Kansas City, Mo.), who has a 3.51 gpa in Business, is among 11 players honored on the College Division District Five team, which includes sophomores, juniors and seniors from Division II, III and NAIA institutions.

Two other MIAC men's players were honored on the first team -- Carleton senior forward Jeremy Schultz (3.73 gpa in Economics) and Bethel senior defender Brent Sciestl (3.84 gpa in Computer Science).

In women's soccer, defender Elizabeth Sullivan (JR-Wauwatosa, Wis./Divine Saviour) also made the 11-player women's first team. She has a 3.966 gpa in Business.

One other MIAC player was honored -- second-team honoree Erin Hoople of Macalester, a junior defender (3.80 gpa in Political Science).

Raplinger, a four-year starter, started all 19 games in 2003 and led the Tommies to a 12-7 record, including wins in 10 of the last 11 regular-season games. The Tommies reached the MIAC playoffs and lost 2-0 to top-seed Macalester in the first round.

Raplinger scored eight goals and one assist (17 points) this season and made conference Player of the Week for the week ending October 14. On his career, he led the Tommies to a 44-25-2 record. He started all 71 games and scored 20 goals. The team captain is also a campus tutor-mentor volunteer.

Sullivan had three assists this season and has one goal and nine assists as a three-year starter. She's played on two conference championship teams and reached the postseason all three seasons. Started all 59 games on career, and had a key shootout goal in 5-4 advantage that let Toms beat St. Ben's and advance to NCAA round of 16 in 2002. She also assisted on game-winning goal in 2002 NCAA playoff upset of No.2-ranked UW-Stevens Point. The Tommies are 41-12-6 in her era, reached NCAA quarterfinals in 2002. She's a campus tutor-mentor and Writing Center volunteer.