Four Gamecocks Named to CoSIDA Academic All-District Team

Columbia, S.C. – Four South Carolina student-athletes were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large Team, the organization announced Thursday. The Gamecocks are represented by men’s tennis junior Daniel Rodrigues, women’s tennis junior Ayana Akli, women’s swimming junior Emma Alexander, and men’s swimming graduate AJ Ross.
 
The Academic All-District team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in athletic competition and in the classroom. All four of South Carolina’s honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot. All-America honorees will be announced mid-June.
 
Rodrigues, a Funchal, Portugal, native completed his degree in psychology this week and graduated with the highest GPA on the men’s tennis team. Rodrigues led the Gamecocks to a 23-7 dual season and an appearance in the NCAA Round of 16 for the second consecutive year. The junior is ranked as the No. 1 singles player in the nation by the ITA and will compete in the NCAA Singles/Doubles Championships next week in Champaign, Ill., as the No. 2 overall seed.
 
Akli, a junior from Silver Spring, Md., is an engineering major who is a leader both in the classroom and on the courts for the women’s tennis team. She is 29-15 in singles and boasts a 9-2 performance in SEC contests to lead the Gamecocks in conference play. The junior was named to the All-SEC First Team and notably helped South Carolina upset then-No. 13 Auburn at home. Akli is currently the No. 57 singles player in the nation and will also compete in the NCAA Singles Championships in Champaign, Ill.
 
Alexander, a junior from Lawrenceville, Ga., leads the women’s swim team academically as an environmental science major with an English minor. She has completed six consecutive semesters on the University of South Carolina’s President’s list and earned the Distinguished JR Award from the school’s English Department. Alexander is the program’s third-fastest swimmer in the 500 yard freestyle and sixth fastest in the 200 yard freestyle. She also is in the record book in four separate top-10 relay teams.
 
Ross graduated last week with a master’s degree in civil engineering. He has led the men’s swimming team academically for the past five years and has made appearances on the President’s list, Dean’s list, AD Honor Roll and SEC Honor Roll as well as being named a four-time CSCAA Scholar All-American. Ross has 16 entries into the program’s all-time record book, including briefly holding the program record for the fastest 50 yard freestyle. He was named South Carolina’s Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for his performances.
 
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