Bristol, Conn.----Four Wingate University soccer student-athletes have been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III men’s and women’s soccer teams (college division), as selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).

Wingate senior forward Junior Nyemb (Douala, Cameroon) was named to the men’s soccer first team. For the Bulldog women, senior defender Madi Welch (Monroe, N.C.) earned second team laurels. Junior defender Samantha Baldwin (Stallings, N.C.) and junior midfielder Julie Zielinski (Erie, Pa.) were named to the third team.

Nyemb earns All-District honors for the third time in his career. He will advance to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® national ballot. The Wingate women’s soccer trio each earns Academic All-District III laurels for the first time in their respective careers.

District III (college division) includes all non-NCAA Division I schools (Division II, III and NAIA) in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and North and South Carolina. The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (by districts) select the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III men’s and women’s soccer teams.

Nyemb is a two-time NSCAA All-Region first team performer. This year, he is second on the Bulldog charts with nine goals. In 2008, Nyemb led the team and charted second in the SAC with 16 goals. He had 33 points and six match-winners in 2008.

A three-time All-South Atlantic Conference performer, Nyemb’s career statistics include 44 goals, 13 assists and 13 match-winners. A four-year starter, Nyemb has been Wingate’s scoring leader each of his first three seasons.

An active member of Wingate’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Nyemb attended the 2008 NCAA National Student-Athlete Leadership Development Conference. A Modern Languages major, Nyemb has a 3.56 GPA.

A four-year starter for the Bulldogs, Welch was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference second team in 2008. Welch has two goals and one assist this year. Her career stats include 14 goals, 11 assists and four match-winners.

Welch and the Bulldog defense allowed only 0.69 goals per game in 2008, tops in the SAC. The Wingate defense also led the SAC with 11 shutouts last year. The 2008 Wingate side equaled a school-record with 14 victories.

Welch is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma and the Delta Mu Delta honor societies. She is also involved with the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. A Marketing major, Welch has a 3.67 GPA.

Baldwin is a two-year starter for the Bulldogs. She earned pre-season All-South Atlantic Conference honors in 2009. Baldwin has two goals this year (AASU, Brevard). She started 13 of her 15 matches last season. A Habitat for Humanity and soccer camp volunteer, Baldwin is a Biology major. She possesses a 3.76 GPA.

Zielinski is a three-year starter for the Bulldogs. She has started every match this year entering the SAC tournament. In 2009, Zielinski has three goals and three assists. Wingate is 3-0 overall when Zielinski scores a goal this year.

On campus, Zielinski is a member of the Student Government Association public relations committee, the Delta Mu Delta honor society and the Wingate Leadership Fellows. During her summers, Zielinski volunteers at the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home in Erie. She is a Marketing major with a 3.51 GPA.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,159 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.

Wingate offers more than 40 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.

Bulldog student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past three years.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 34 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 43 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.