MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State men's soccer student-athletes Josh Rodgers and Mitro Turunen have been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District team, the organization announced Thursday.
 
To be eligible for Academic All-District consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
 
Rodgers' and Turunen's selections mark the 21st time in the last 10 seasons, and 26th time overall, that Clayton State Athletics has had at least one individual selected to what is now known as the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team. Of those 26 selections, an incredible 18 have come since 2014-15 and includes all four multi-time honorees and four of the five Academic All-America's.
 
Young Harris and Francis Marion were the only other Peach Belt Conference instituions to be represented on the All-District team.
 
In terms of selections by program, the women's cross country/track & field programs have produced nine selections, good for the most in school history. Including the two selections on the men's side in 2011-12, those programs have accounted for more than half of Clayton State's Academic All-District choices.
 
For men's soccer, four student-athletes have been honored. Both Rodgers and Turunen are now eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors which will be announced on Tuesday, July 6. Clayton State has five all-time Academic All-America selections. Tim Neusesser represented the men's soccer program in 2019 when he earned Academic All-America honors.
 
Josh Rodgers | New Castle, England | Defense
Rodgers makes his first appearance on the Academic All-District Team after starting and playing in seven of the team's nine games. The defender scored one goal for the season while taking three shots. Prior to the season, he earned D2 ADA Academic Achievement honors while earning Team Defensive MVP honors at the conclusion of the season. He has also been named to the Dean's List every semester.
 
For his career, he has helped lead a defense that averages 1.35 goals against per game. He has scored three goals and added two assists while playing in 27 games with 25 starts.
 
Mitro Turunen | Vantaa, Finland | Midfield
Turunen appears on the Academic All-District team for the first time in his career after playing in eight games this season. He made seven starts and finished the season with two goals and two assists. Prior the season, he was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
For his career, he has scored five goals and has recorded eight assists while making 53 starts. As a freshman, he was named PBC Co-Freshman of the Year before taking home second-team All-Conference honors as a sophomore. He has been a Dean's List member and a PBC Team of Academic Distinction member.

NCAA DIVISION II – DISTRICT 3 (Conference Carolinas, Peach Belt, South Atlantic)
FIRST TEAM 

Pos.	Name	School	Yr.	GPA	Major
GK	Guillermo Falo Ejea	Coker	Sr.	3.88	Business Administration
D	Alex Gschwend	Young Harris	Sr.	3.85	Management
D	C. Johan Hedberg	Lees-McRae	Jr.	3.97	Sport Management
D	Ben King	Carson-Newman	Sr.	3.85	Psychology
D	Josh Rodgers	Clayton State	Grad.	4.00	MBA
M	Carles Montoliu Lobo	Lenoir-Rhyne	Jr.	3.94	Computer Science / Engineering Physics
M	Johannes Oeksnevad	Lees-McRae	Sr.	4.00	English / Sport Management
M	Mitro Turunen	Clayton State	Sr.	3.92	Marketing
F	Victor Cascon	Lenoir-Rhyne	Sr.	3.75	Business Management / Marketing
F	Magnus Hoejland	Francis Marion	Jr.	3.90	Economics
F	Thaylan Silva	Carson Newman	Grad.	3.75	Communications (UG) MBA (G)

Clayton State Men's Soccer All-District Selections (Four Selections/Four Individuals)
2020-21 – Josh Rodgers
2020-21 – Mitro Turunen
2019-20 – Tim Neusesser*
2015-16 – Aleksi Tuominen
*Academic All-America Selection