SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman senior Dylan Rowe and Mercer redshirt sophomore Gabe Tucker, both defenders, were named to the College Sports Information Directors of America’s (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 4 squad, it was announced on Thursday.
To be eligible for the academic all-district teams, student-athletes must be starters or important reserves with at least 3.30 cumulative grade-point averages. Candidates must also complete at least one full academic year at the nominating institution and be at least sophomores athletically. Rowe and Tucker are now eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, which will be selected in November and feature first-, second- and third-team honorees.
Rowe, a native of New Braunfels, Texas, has totaled two assists while playing in 13 matches and making 12 starts for the Paladins at left back during the 2016 season. He was a key part of a Furman program that has claimed back-to-back Southern Conference tournament titles and has posted victories over nationally ranked opponents FIU and Kentucky this season. A senior physics major, Rowe sports a 3.74 GPA.
The Paladins return to action on Saturday when they travel to face Wofford in the regular-season finale in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Kickoff at Snyder Field is slated for 6 p.m.
Tucker, a law and public policy major, has appeared in 15 matches while making six starts this season and has helped anchor a Mercer back line that has limited opponents to an average of 0.94 goals per game, which ranks second among SoCon teams. In matches Tucker has appeared in, Mercer owns an 11-4 record and has held opponents to 14 total goals.
The honor is the first for the Virginia Beach, Virginia, native, who is in his first season of eligibility. Tucker is the seventh Mercer men’s soccer player in the last six years to be named to the all-district team.
Tucker and the SoCon-leading Bears (12-5-0, 7-2-0) host ETSU on Saturday in the regular-season finale with the winner claiming the 2016 SoCon regular-season championship. With a one-point advantage over the Bucs in the SoCon tables entering this weekend’s match, a draw would also clinch the regular-season title for Mercer.
Saturday’s match, set to begin at 7 p.m. at Bear Field, will be carried live on ESPN3 and feature a free T-shirt giveaway for the first 150 students at the gates.