Takaoka earns Academic All-America first team honors

ORANGE, Calif. – One of the most prolific point scorers in Panther history is now one of the most prolific student-athletes ever at Chapman University. Senior guard Kimi Takaoka has been named to the Capital One Academic All-America Division III basketball first team, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Tuesday.

Now a two-time Academic All-America selection, Takaoka is the first women's basketball player in school history and just the fifth Panther student-athlete to win the award multiple times. Her designation on the first team is also the first ever for Chapman's women's hoops. Earlier this season she was named to the Academic All-District VIII team for the third time in her career.

The athletic training major boasts a 3.93 grade-point average while ranking 10th in Division III in scoring with an average of 22.6 points. On Saturday night, the senior scored a season-high 34 points against the University of La Verne, moving into third place all-time at Chapman with 1,477 points – trailing only hall of famers Leone Patterson '86 (1,614) and Melody Bongiorno '04 (1,734).

Takaoka will play her final regular season home game at Hutton Center on Thursday night against Caltech – the only senior on a Chapman team that is tied for first place in the SCIAC with an overall record of 18-5, with an 11-2 conference record. The shooting guard has led the Panthers with 16 games of 20 or more points, including four game with 30-plus and has twice been named SCIAC Athlete of the Week.

The senior was also recently nominated for the Jostens Trophy, recognizing outstanding student-athletes in NCAA Division III basketball for excellence in the classroom, on the playing court and in the community.

To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA 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.

Complete listing of the Capital One Academic All-America® Teams: http://www.cosida.com/news/2014/2/17/AAA_0217142104.aspx

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Become a fan of Chapman Athletics on Facebook
Follow Chapman Athletics on Twitter @ChapmanSports
Post your #PantherPic to Instagram @ChapmanSports
#CUPanthers