Chapman pair earns ESPN Academic All-District honors

ORANGE, Calif. - Despite missing half of the season with a broken foot, Chapman University senior G Niki Hayman was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VIII women's basketball team last month as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Hayman was joined on the team by sophomore G Christina Ly, who earned the award for the first time in her career.

Hayman was named to the first team for the second straight year with a 3.99 grade-point average in legal studies. The senior averaged 18.6 points per game for the Panthers and scored 20 or more points in a game four times before being sidelined the rest of the season with the foot injury. Hayman ranks sixth all-time in school history with 1,150 career points.

Ly was selected to the District VIII third team after playing in 28 games, ranking third on the team with 41 steals and adding 29 assists off the bench. The sophomore has a 3.95 grade-point average.

The Chapman University women's basketball team finished the season 20-9 and reached the NCAA Division III playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.

The ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Teams program honors 816 male and female student-athletes annually who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom. Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000 member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

To be eligible, student-athletes must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 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 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports. Chapman is a member of the District VIII College Division, which includes Division II, III and NAIA schools from throughout the Western United States.