Takaoka named to Capital One Academic All-America Team
ORANGE, Calif. – Junior Chapman University guard Kimi Takaoka has been named to the Capital One Academic All-America Division III basketball third team, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Tuesday. Takaoka becomes just the third women's basketball player in the history of the program to earn the honor and the first since 2009.
The Arcadia, Calif. native joins 14 other players selected to this year's All-America women's basketball teams. The selection will also link Takaoka with the two Panthers women's basketball players to earn the honor before her, Mel Bongiorno (2nd team; 2003-04) and Nicole Hayman (3rd team; 2008-09).
The athletic training major boasts a 3.93 GPA while leading the Panthers in scoring at 17.4 points per game and minutes played at 29.9 per contest. Takaoka and the Panthers will look to continue their successful season in the first round of SCIAC tournament play as they host Redlands on Thursday night.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 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.
Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 15,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com.
by Jordan Esparza & Ryan Cavinder
Sports Information Intern & Sports Information Assistant
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