16 June 1998 CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, 309-556-3206
IWU's Moser, Jacobs Named Academic All-Americans
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Illinois Wesleyan University tennis teammates Chad Moser and Craig Jacobs, who were Division III All-Americans in both singles and doubles as first-round winners in the NCAA national tournament, have both been elected to the GTE College Division Academic All-America ® spring at-large team.
Moser, who was a first team Academic All-American last spring and a second team choice in 1996, was named to the first team again this spring while Jacobs was named to the second team this year. At-large spring sport athletes are selected from those participating in tennis, track and field, golf, lacrosse, and volleyball.
The selections bring to 92 the total number of Academic All-America berths earned by IWU students since the program began in 1970. Only Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Bucknell have more total Academic All-Americans than Illinois Wesleyan.
Moser and Jacobs are the sixth and seventh IWU athletes to earn Academic All-American status this year. Junior James Rinne was a first team selection and was the College Division "Academic All-American of the Year" in baseball, while senior Brent Niebrugge and sophomore Korey Coon were second team selections in basketball. Junior LeAnn Genzel was a second team choice in volleyball and pitcher Nathan Knuffman was named to the third team in baseball. In addition, 1977 IWU graduate and former National Basketball Association all-star Jack Sikma was named to the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame ® this spring, becoming one of only 53 inductees since the Hall was established in 1988.
To be considered for the GTE 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. The teams are chosen by a voting board representing the 1,800 members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Moser, a May IWU graduate who attended Normal Community High School, was a public accounting major with a 3.79 grade-point average. He is a member of the IWU accounting society, Phi Eta Sigma honorary and the Risk Management and Finance Association. He was one of 39 IWU “Distinguished Business Seniors” and was elected to the Order of Titans honorary.
This spring he was 26-2 in singles and 19-6 in doubles and won Arthur Ashe/Tennis Magazine Collegiate Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship, given for on-court achievements, sportsmanship and character, humanitarian concern and accomplishments, and scholastic honors and extracurricular activities.
He won the No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles championships in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin in 1996, 1997, and 1998 and was named the “Most Outstanding Performer” in the conference meet all three seasons. The conference’s No. 2 singles champion as a freshman, Moser went through his college career undefeated (38-0) vs. league opponents and he and Jacobs helped IWU to two straight CCIW titles after 33 years without championship.
IWU’s “Most Valuable Player” as freshman, sophomore and senior, and co-winner in 1997 with Jacobs, Moser finished with a career singles mark of 99-15, the most singles wins in school history. He finished the season No. 4 in the final NCAA Division III singles rankings and he and Jacobs were No. 2 in the final doubles rankings, up from No. 3 in 1997. He was also an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American in singles and doubles in 1997.
Jacobs, a senior-to-be from Bloomington High School, has a grade-point average of 3.83 as an accounting major. A Dean’s List student every semester, he is a member of the IWU accounting society, a Commerce Bank scholarship recipient, and has served as an officer in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
This spring he was 21-4 in singles and 19-6 in doubles and was also a Division III All-American in both singles and doubles as first-round winner in national tournament. His career singles record of 63-10 places him second to Moser in career victories at IWU and he finished No. 29 in the final 1998 Division III singles rankings.
Jacobs has won No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles championships in CCIW in 1996, 1997, and 1998 and he was an ITA All-American in doubles in 1997.
Rose-Hulman track and field athlete Ryan Loftus was chosen as the College Division “Academic All-American of the Year” for spring at-large sports. The senior has a 3.82 grade-point average in chemical engineering.