LA JOLLA, Calif. – Five Tritons were recognized for their academic and athletic efforts this season on Tuesday by College Sports Communicators (CSC). Seniors
Alessandro Allen,
Iñaki Iribarren, and
Adam Walker, and sophomores
Brian Arens and
Jonah Kawamura were all named to the Academic All-District Team as announced by CSC. All five will now move on to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot.
Alessandro Allen (Silver Spring, Md.) is a general biology major with a 3.68 grade point average. On the pitch, Allen started all 18 matches and finished the season with four goals and three assists for a total of 11 points. The senior was a perfect 3-3 in penalty kicks.
Iñaki Iribarren (Pamplona, Spain) is earning a master's in business analytics with a 3.75 grade point average. The graduate transfer led the Tritons this season scoring 11 of the 24 goals in his 1,464 minutes played with two-game winners. After a career season, he was recognized by the conference as he earned a spot on the All-Big West First Team.
Adam Walker (Long Beach, Calif.) continues to maintain a 3.7 grade point average as he earns his degree in mechanical engineering. The defenseman started and played in 15 matches this season for a total of 1,277 minutes as he led the back line.
Brian Arens (Seal Beach, Calif.) is a business economics major with a 3.68 grade point average. Making his collegiate debut this season, Arens played 17 matches with a single start, scoring his first goal vs. Westcliff on Sept. 3, 2023.
Jonah Kawamura (Honolulu, Hawai'i) continues his studies in international business while sporting a 3.71 grade point average. In his second season with the Tritons, Kawamura led the team with 1,573 minutes played, starting and playing all 18 matches. The sophomore was critical to the Triton offense and defense as a staple player in the midfield.
The 2023 Academic All-District® Men's and Women's Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes soccer honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA — for each gender.
To be eligible, student-athletes must hold a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and must have played in 90% of the team's matches. Freshmen are not eligible for consideration.
The Tritons completed their second Division I season with a 3-5-1 mark in Big West play. Out of their 18 matches this season, UC San Diego scored in 16 of them with only two games scoreless.
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.