MCLA’s Cotting & Porter Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— Senior defender Tyler Cotting (Holliston, MA) and graduate student Alyssa Porter (Boylston, MA) have earned All-District recognition by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American program.

This was the first time that Porter has earned a CSC Academic All-American program designation. An offensive-minded defender, Porter played in 14 of the Trailblazers' 15 games this season, starting nine. She scored a goal in MCLA's 3-0 win over Bryant and Stratton on October 9th and the game-tying goal in the closing minute of a 2-2 tie at Fitchburg State on October 21st. For her career, Porter started 52 of her 59 appearances across four seasons with the Trailblazers and scored seven goals, including two game-winning goals. Porter is studying Pre-K through 8^th grade Education, concentrating on modern disabilities.

Cotting joined Porter in earning his first-ever CSC Academic All-American program designation. A senior and a Men's Soccer team captain, Cotting played in 14 of MCLA's 15 games, providing a steadying influence on the back end for the Trailblazers. For his career, Cotting started 47 of his 49 appearances across three seasons for MCLA. Cotting is majoring in Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice.

Per the College Sports Communicators (previously known as COSIDA) website, the Academic All-American is a title reserved for college student-athletes who perform at an elite level in their chosen sport and in the classroom. The all-time list of 40,000+ Academic All-Americans includes major sports stars and some of the world's most accomplished individuals in medicine, business, science, and the arts. Established in 1952 and selected by College Sports Communicators, Academic All-America is the longest-running and premier award for athletic and academic success across championship college sports at all NCAA levels, the NAIA, two-year colleges, and Canadian institutions. Teams are announced year-round and amplified by CSC member colleges, universities, and conferences on a wide local, regional, national, and even international scope.

To be eligible for consideration, student-athletes must demonstrate the best traits of a student-athlete, both on and off the playing field. Among the requirements are:

• Outstanding student-athletes are nominated for Academic All-District® recognition by communications directors and must have a minimum 3.50 GPA and meet high athletic standards. (25,000+ nominations annually)
• A select group of student-athletes advances to the national ballot, where CSC members vote on Academic All-America teams. (approximately 2,000 selections annually)
• A Team Member of the Year is selected in each sport and division. (66 recipients)
• An overall Academic All-America of the Year is selected as the top student-athlete across all sports in each NCAA and NAIA division. (4 recipients)

The All-District recognition of Cotting and Porter is the first time an MCLA student-athlete has received such an honor. The only prior recognition by CSC was in 2019 when softball outfielder Kaitlyn Berghela was named to the Academic All-American Division III third team.

STAY CONNECTED:

For the latest on MCLA Athletics, follow the Trailblazers via our social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter).