Ernst, Sykes Named NSCAA Scholar-Athlete All-East Region

Jan. 14, 2008

CINCINNATI -- The University of Cincinnati's Gigi Ernst (Plain City, OH/Bishop Watterson) and Kim Sykes (Cincinnati, OH/Sycamore) have been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Scholar-Athlete All-East Region Team. Both Ernst and Sykes earned honorable mention plaudits.

Ernst, who earned her second College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District honor in 2007, holds a 3.83 grade point average as a double major in finance and accounting. The senior defender was a four-year starter for the Bearcats and a 2007 co-captain. She started all but one match in her career, playing in 71 matches at central defense.

Sykes, a junior defender and two-year team captain, earned her second straight CoSIDA honor in 2007. She holds a 3.98 GPA in journalism. A workhorse along the UC backline, she has started all 54 matches of her UC career and played over 95 percent of the team's minutes. She has one career goal and two assists to her credit.

Over 130 student-athletes from all three NCAA divisions plus NAIA were honored in the East, one of the four regions. Coaches voted on players in their region, with first-team selections eligible for NSCAA Scholar-Athlete All-America status.