Katie Rybakova was named to the Capital One Academic All-American women's at-large team by CoSIDA.



June 9, 2011





By Zach Mendelson, Seminoles.com

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida State women's tennis standout, senior Katie Rybakova, has been named a Third Team selection on the 2011 Capital One Academic All-American at-large team, as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

"It's an honor to be chosen to the academic All-American team, and it's even more of an honor that I can add to the accomplishments that the team has had over the four years I've been here," said Rybakova. "Hopefully I can continue studying at FSU in the graduate program and I'm looking forward to hearing about the academic and athletic achievements that my fellow `Noles will have in the years to come."

A native of Coral Springs, Fla., Rybakova is an English education major with a 3.93 GPA. During her time at Florida State, Rybakova has made the President's List (perfect 4.0 GPA) three times in her career and the Dean's List twice. She is also a member of SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee). Rybakova is a three-time All-ACC Academic performer and two-time Golden Torch award winner for holding the highest GPA among FSU female athletes.

"I am so proud of Katie and the entirety of her career, not just on the court but more importantly with the magnitude of successes she experienced and earned in the academic realms of her career," said head coach Jennifer Hyde. "She set goals for herself very early on for her time at Florida State and she deserves and has earned every accolade she receives. She is a model student athlete and I could not be more proud."

Ranked as the No. 37 athlete in the country, Rybakova has been equally impressive on the court, defeating ten ranked opponents and holding a 24-16 record during the 2011 season. A four-time All-ACC performer, Rybakova finishes second in FSU history with 103 career wins in singles and holds a school record of four 20 win seasons. She also ranks fourth in FSU history with a combined 173 singles and doubles victories.

North Dakota State University student-athletes, under the leadership of the members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) made both a volunteer and financial commitment to support the North Dakota Special Olympics.

Several student-athletes joined in the activities in support of these very dedicated participants. "What better group to support who, like us, understand the long hours of training, preparing and ultimately competing. Their quest to be their best mirrors every athlete's quest at NDSU," said SAAC President Abby Plucker.

The student-athletes raised money from cookbook sales this past year and wished to share in the success of this project. Volunteerism is a pillar of the efforts of SAAC.

This Article can be found on North Dakota State University Athletics Page at:
http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5900&ATCLID=205157161&db_oem_id=2400

Kansas Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Receives Division I SAAC Award of Excellence

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA announced Thursday that the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at the University of Kansas is the spring 2011 recipient of the Division I SAAC Award of Excellence. This award is intended to showcase campus SAAC’s that have made great contributions to their respective communities through service, sportsmanship, unity, leadership and/or growth.

“We take great pride in our student athlete advisory committee and this award is an indication of how hard all of our student-athletes and staff work together,” said Sheahon Zenger, Kansas Athletics Director. “They promote a positive image and work diligently in the university and community. We want our student-athletes to be leaders – now and after KU – both in competition and in life. This honor reflects our commitment and success. I also want to recognize and thank the staff that works with SAAC for their efforts.”

The NCAA presents the award to only one university per semester to recognize the most active, supportive and united SAAC in the country. This year KU SAAC went above and beyond in each of those categories by taking part in several outreach programs such as Hawks, Cops and Kids, the Character Counts program and volunteering at several Special Olympics events. Members took part in leadership and team building retreats and participated in a variety of campus organizations such as Student Senate, President’s Roundtable and the University Events Committee. All of the activities SAAC organizes and takes part in are included in consideration for the award.

“The leadership that the student-athletes at KU have shown is a true testament to the criteria set forth for the Award of Excellence,” said Scott Krapf, chair of the NCAA SAAC. “KU’s example now sets the standard for excellence with the incredible variety of community service initiatives, growth and teamwork that their committee has implemented. It is simply outstanding.”

Committees are nominated for excelling in several categories ranging from community outreach, sportsmanship initiatives and leadership. Selection for the award is based on any single category or a combination of multiple categories. The award is a chance for student-athlete peers to commend their SAAC nationally for the success they have had on their campus.

SAAC’s responsibilities at KU are to provide student-athletes the opportunity to communicate more effectively with the University of Kansas athletic administration, coaches and staff. It enables student-athletes to provide recommendations for the improvement of academic, athletic and social experiences. It also encourages community involvement through service projects and fundraisers. In addition, SAAC offers input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on the University of Kansas campus.

This article was pulled from
http://www.wibw.com/sports/headlines/123054873.html