Academic Accolade

STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford senior Maggie Steffens was selected to the 2016-17 CoSIDA Academic All-District Women's At-Large first team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) it was announced Thursday. Steffens now advances to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.
 
The academic all-district at-large teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. The teams are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada with District 8 encompassing Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawai'i, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Canada.
 
Steffens was one of three Cardinal women honored. Swimming's Simone Manuel was also on the 11-member first team for Stanford's district and tennis' Caroline Doyle landed on the second team.
 
A  science, technology and society major with a 3.59 GPA, Steffens is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time Olympic MVP and two-time FINA Women's Water Polo Athlete of the Year. The 2015 ACWPC National Player of the Year was also named a finalist yesterday for the Peter J. Cutino Award, given to the outstanding female and male collegiate water polo players in the United States. Steffens is a three-time first-team All-American, two-time MPSF Player of the Year and three-time ACWPC national all-academic honoree.
 
Steffens leads the Cardinal with 55 goals this season, has scored in 20 games and has 14 multi-goal efforts. She is third in the MPSF in goals per game (2.39) and her 219 career goals are fourth in Stanford history.
 
The senior will be going for her third NCAA championship with the Cardinal in Indianapolis this weekend. No. 2 Stanford, which has won five titles and four of the last six, begins with No. 8 Pacific (21-8) at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT on Friday with the winner advancing to play either No. 3 USC or No. 7 Michigan in the semifinals on Saturday, May 13 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. The championship is on Sunday, May 14 at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT.