Pietrak named to Academic All-District team

Tripp Pietrak, left, an Amherst resident and senior men's soccer player at Union College, was named to the ESPN The Magazine/College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District First Team.

Tripp Pietrak, an Amherst resident and senior men's soccer player at Union College, has been named to the ESPN The Magazine/ College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District First Team.

Pietrak is eligible for the Academic All-America ballot.

Pietrak, a forward and captain, is majoring in leadership in medicine/health management. He was named to the Liberty League First Team and led the conference in goals (12), goals per game (.75) and points per game (1.62) and is ranked second in points (26).

He kicked off the season with a six-game scoring streak during which he had two consecutive hat tricks. He posted seven multiple point games overall this season.

Pietrak had game-winning goals against Nazareth, Hobart and Utica and was twice named Liberty League Offensive Player of the Week. He was a Liberty League All-Academic honoree in 2006 and 2005.

To be nominated, the student athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his/her career. No athlete is eligible until he/she has reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution. In the cases of transfers, graduate students and junior college graduates, the athlete must have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution to be eligible.