University of Iowa women’s basketball point guard Caitlin Clark, Gannon University women’s basketball post player Samantha Pirosko, Wartburg College football linebacker Owen Grover, and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis women’s basketball point guard Grace Beyer have been named the 2023-24 Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for Division I, Division II, Division III, and NAIA, respectively, as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).
Clark earns her second straight award after becoming the first University of Iowa student-athlete to receive the overall Academic All-America® Division I Team Member of the Year honor in 2022-23. She is the second Division I two-time winner joining the University Division’s Sarah Pavan of Nebraska (volleyball, 2006-07 and 2007-08), and the fifth overall along with the NAIA’s Giovanna Tapigliani of Missouri Baptist (volleyball, 2020-21 and 2021-22), Division III’s Maryann Gong of M.I.T (women’s track and field/cross country, 2015-16 and 2016-17), and College Division/NAIA’s Leah Esposito of Carroll (women’s track and field/cross country, 2015-16 and 2016-17).
Pirosko, Grover and Beyer become their school’s first student-athletes to receive the honor at their respective institutions.
NCAA Division I
University of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was the No. 1 overall draft selection by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Her new Indiana Fever teammate, Aliyah Boston, was the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick, a three-time Academic All-American, and the overall Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year in 2022. Clark repeated as the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for Division I women’s basketball in 2023-24, becoming the seventh player to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons. It’s the third time in her career being selected to the first team, having also earned the honor in 2021-22. The 6-foot-1 senior guard from West Des Moines, Iowa, carried a 3.64 GPA while majoring in marketing. Clark was named the Wooden Award National Player of the Year after leading the nation in 10 different offensive categories including averaging 31.6 points and 8.9 assists per game. She also led the country with six triple doubles while ranking fourth with 24 double doubles. She was also named the National Player of the Year by the Associated Press, USA Today, ESPN.com, The Athletic, the Sporting News, and the Naismith award. Her other national honors include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year, Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, Wade Trophy, and the Honda Sport Award. Clark led the Hawkeyes to their second straight National Championship appearance while becoming the first Division-I player to record 1,000+ points in back-to-back seasons.
Said University of Iowa Athletic Director Beth Goetz:
“Caitlin’s talent and passion for the game of basketball is equally matched by her commitment and achievement in the classroom. She is the consummate example of what it means to be a student-athlete, and we are incredibly proud of her academic and athletic accomplishments.”
Said University of Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach Lisa Bluder:
“We are thrilled to learn that Caitlin has earned the CSC Division I Academic All-America Team Member of the year! She continues to add to her honors as one of the best women’s basketball players to ever play the game. This award is very special and we are grateful that Caitlin and the University of Iowa are receiving this honor.”
NCAA Division II
A post player from Eastlake, Ohio, Samantha Pirosko has been named the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for Division II. The redshirt senior graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences and a 3.908 GPA. Pirosko is pursuing her master’s degree in physician assistant science. She is a two-time Academic All-America® first team selection. Pirosko finished the year second in Division II in field goals (251) and free throws (223), while her 19.8 points per game were 10th. She led the Golden Knights to the Elite Eight and their third Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament title in the last four seasons. She was named the WBCA and D2CCA National Player of the Year while also being named the PSAC West Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Year and the D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year. In her final season she set a new program record with 752 points on the year and finishes her career second in program history with 2,293 points.
Said Gannon University Post Player Samantha Pirosko:
“I want to thank the CSC for recognizing me as the 2023-24 Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division II Sports. It is an incredible honor that I can’t even put into words. I wouldn’t have been able to put myself in the position to get recognized if it weren’t for my parents. They have pushed me on and off the court throughout my entire career. Not only have my parents pushed me, but the coaching staff and my teammates at Gannon have also encouraged me to be the best I can in the classroom and on the court. I have always valued my education, and I viewed playing basketball as a great way to support my goal of becoming a Physician Assistant. I am overjoyed that I was able to succeed in both, and I am truly honored to have received the recognition that has come my way.”
Said Gannon University Director of Athletics Lisa Goddard McGuirk:
“Sam possesses an unwavering commitment to excellence. She has been a leader in the classroom, court, and community throughout her outstanding career at Gannon. This is such a tremendous and well-deserved honor.”
Said Gannon University Women’s Basketball Head Coach Cleve Wright:
“We are so happy that Sam has been named CSC Division II Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for all sports. Sam’s work ethic on the floor and in the classroom has made a great impact on her teammates. This is a high honor for her and our program, and we celebrate this recognition with her!”
NCAA Division III
The Academic All-America® Division III Team Member of the Year honor adds to a crowded trophy case for Owen Grover, who earned the Division III Cliff Harris Award, was named the D3football.com National Defensive Player of the Year and was a finalist for both the Gagliardi Trophy and the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy. He earned a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship maintaining a 3.99 GPA in biology. Grover was a two-time D3football.com Regional Defensive Player of the Year and two-time American Rivers Conference Defensive Most Valuable Player. The Dyersville, Iowa, native led the Knights to a 13-1 record and the NCAA semifinals for the second-straight season. Grover finished the 2023 season with 113 total tackles (62 solo), 5.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks and one interception.
Said Wartburg College’s Linebacker Owen Grover:
“I am beyond grateful to be recognized for this award amongst so many incredible student athletes. Division 3 has offered me amazing experiences both on the field and in the classroom and I could not be more appreciative for the experience that I had at Wartburg College. Any award like this is not possible without the brilliant coaches, professors, family, teammates, and other faculty that I have been so blessed to be able to have as a part of my life.”
Said Wartburg College Head Football Coach Chris Winter:
“Owen was one of the hardest working kids on our team and his attention to detail was unmatched. I have great respect for his ability to lead by example and be a great teammate to everyone associated with our program. He was a two-time captain of our football team and member of our football leadership council, which are honors voted on by his teammates. He has been committed to every aspect of our football program for the past five years, while still balancing the grueling academic schedule that is involved with being a pre-med student at Wartburg College. This rare combination of hard work, attention to detail, and advanced time management skills afforded Owen a well-rounded college experience along with his tremendous success as a student-athlete. He was a two-time All-American linebacker, the 2023 National Defensive Player of the Year in Division III football, 2023 Cliff Harris Award winner for Division III Football, and a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy all while maintaining a 3.99 GPA in biology/pre-med and still being involved in our campus community, as well as serving the community of Waverly, through volunteer activities. He is the most impressive student-athlete I have been around in my 20+ years at Wartburg College and there are no words to express how proud I am to call him a Knight.”
NAIA
Grace Beyer became the first player in the history of the Academic All-America® women’s basketball program to earn the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year honor three consecutive seasons. The graduate student from Eagle, Wisconsin, maintains a 3.90 GPA while pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree after earning her undergraduate degree also in pharmacy with a 3.97 GPA. For the fourth straight season, Beyer led the NAIA in points per game, averaging 35.0 for the season. Her 1,051 points gave her 3,961 for her career, breaking the 34-year-old NAIA record. This season she not only led the NAIA in points per game, but also field goals (306-662) and free throws (375-403), while ranking second in the nation in free throw percentage (93.1). She was named the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Player of the Year for the third straight year. During the regular season, she was named the AMC Player of the Week 10 times and was twice named the NAIA National Player of the Week.
Said University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis Point Guard Grace Beyer:
“I have received many awards throughout my collegiate career, but this one is particularly special to me. I have always valued academics, and being recognized for my accomplishments on and off the court this past year means a lot. I hope to be an inspiration to those around me, as well as future college athletes, to pursue a career they are passionate about.”
Said University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis Athletic Director Jill Harter:
“Grace earns every one of the honors she received. She came to UHSP with an incredible work ethic she learned from her parents. That focus and the time spent on the court and attending to her coursework brought her to where she is today. Eutectics Athletics and UHSP are extremely proud of Grace being named the CSC Academic All-American Team Member of the Year across all collegiate sports. Grace sets the standard for the term ‘student-athlete.”