Three MCLA Basketball Players Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— Sophomore Guard Jake Bluestein (San Diego, CA), sophomore forward Jaxen Potter (Ballston Spa, NY), and sophomore forward Kristie Zator (Windham, CT) have earned All-District recognition by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American program.

This was the first time Bluestein, Potter, or Zator earned a CSC Academic All-American program designation. Along with soccer players Alyssa Porter and Tyler Cotting, and volleyball players Ellie Walter-Goodspeed, Chloie Garber, Elizabeth Brown, and Audrey Melson, who were announced previously, it is the first recognition for an MCLA athlete by CSC since 2019, when softball outfielder Kaitlyn Berghela was named to the Academic All-American Division III third team.

A sharpshooting, calming influence from the bench, Bluestein played in all 26 of the Trailblazer's games this season. He was seventh in the MASCAC this past year with 42 made three-pointers and ninth in the MASCAC with a 34.4 shooting percentage from beyond the arc. He scored a career-high 17 points in MCLA's 73-72 victory at Salem State on February 7^th. In the Trailblazer's first matchup of the season with Salem State on January 13th, he scored a then career-high 15 points on a 5-9 performance from three-point land. Bluestein is studying music.

A sophomore presence in the paint for MCLA, Potter played in 24 of MCLA's 26 games, starting in 15. Potter recorded his first career double-double in the Trailblazers game at Sage on November 27^th, finishing with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Potter joined Bluestein in setting a career-high with 13 points in the January 13^th game with Salem State. For his career, Potter started 15 of his 37 appearances across two seasons for MCLA. Potter is majoring in business.

Zator led the Trailblazers this past season, averaging 13.4 points per game. She played in 18 of MCLA's 25 games, starting all 18. Zator scored a career-high 29 points in the Trailblazers' 65-51 win over Lesley University on November 18^th. Zator recorded double-doubles in four of five games between January 2nd and January 13th, including a 16-point performance against Dean and an 18-board showing against Salem State. For her career, Zator all 43 games she has played, averaging 11.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Last month she joined Bluestein in being named to the MASCAC winter 2023-24 Sportsmanship team. Zator is a business major who is also a member of the MCLA softball and cross-country teams.

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)

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