Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Spartanburg, S.C. - Nick Schneiders has garnered many accomplishments and awards as a member of the USC Upstate men's basketball team. On Monday, he brought home perhaps his biggest achievement in being named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American. The Academic All-America teams were announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Monday evening as part of ESPN's Big Monday college basketball telecast. Schneiders, a senior from Rietberg, Germany, was a Second Team Academic All-America selection in the University Division encompassing all Division I institutions. He earned First-Team Academic All-District honors earlier this month and was placed in the pool for Academic All-America honors. He carries a 3.71 GPA as a graphic design major. He is a three-time A-Sun All-Academic selection and a two-time Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll pick. Schneiders is the sixth student-athlete from Upstate to earn Academic All-America honors in the CoSIDA program. Darren Ambrose (men's soccer) was a second team selection in 1993, Marlon Burgess (men's soccer) was a third team pick in 1994, Sean Hartley (men's soccer) was a third team selection in 1996 and Diana Martinez (women's tennis) was a first team selection in 2008 and a second team selection in 2007. Other Spartan student-athletes have earned various national academic honors from coaches organizations. "This is probably one of the most important awards I have ever received," said Schneiders. "When I came here five years ago I came here to get a degree and play basketball. This award shows I have accomplished a lot at both. This and my blocks record rank up there with anything that I have accomplished." "I had a fairly difficult time my first two semesters. After that, I figured out how to manage my time. The projects I have had to do (in my major) are time-sensitive. There were deadlines that I have had to meet. So, I have had to manage my time wisely. I have never dreaded the time I have had to put in with my academics and athletics. It's actually been a good thing for me."