Schlingman, Hall Earn Academic All-District Honors

Matt Schlingman

Michelle Hall

Two members of The College of Wooster basketball teams, Matt Schlingman (Ashland, Ohio / Ashland) and Michelle Hall (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon), were voted on to the 2005 ESPN The Magazineí Academic All-District IV Team, as selected by the College of Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Schlingman was the top vote getter for the second-straight season, earning first-team honors again after picking up third-team distinction as a sophomore, while for Hall, it marks her first such award.

The honorees were determined via a vote by CoSIDA members after reviewing 40-plus nominations of key players with a minimum 3.20 GPA from the college division (NCAA Div. II and III, and NAIA) in Wooster's five-state district (Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee).

All first-team honorees move on to the national ballot for the Academic All-Americaí Team, which will be announced March 2, as Schlingman looks to become just the fourth multiple Academic All-Americaní in school history (regardless of sport). He was a second-team selection in 2004.

Schlingman is the starting center, a team captain, and second-leading scorer (11.4 ppg) for the No. 2 ranked team in Div. III (D3hoops.com). The 6-7, 220-pound senior is shooting a career-high 66.0 percent from the field (93-for-141), which would set a school record if the season ended today, and also is averaging 4.0 boards, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 blocks - sixth-most in the conference.

Matt, the son of Lee and Selora Schlingman, owns a 3.99 cumulative GPA while majoring in mathematics. A regular member of the Dean's List, he also volunteers with œMen Working for Change,” a school group trying to help decrease acts of violence towards women.

This Saturday (Feb. 19), Schlingman and the rest of the Fighting Scots will attempt to win the 2004-05 North Coast Athletic Conference championship outright, and thus, earn home-court advantage for next week's NCAC Tournament, when they host Ohio Wesleyan University at 7:30 p.m.

Hall, a 6-0 junior center, is the third-leading scorer for Wooster's women's team at 8.3 points per game. She ranks second on the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and blocked shots (0.54 per game), as well as averaging over a steal (1.1 per game). Hall's been playing her best basketball of the season of late, totaling 60 points (10.0 avg.) and 43 rebounds (7.2 avg.) over the last six games.

Hall, the daughter of Stuart and Monica Hall, carries a 3.91 cumulative GPA while majoring in psychology with a minor in education. She has made the Dean's List each of her five semesters and volunteers regularly in the community, most recently with Scots in Service and Circle K.

Hall and her teammates wrapped up the regular season Wednesday night (Feb. 16) with a 12-13 record and now await the NCAC Tournament brackets. The Scots will be the No. 6 seed via a 7-9 mark in the conference's regular season and could play any of four teams pending the outcome of Saturday's games.