DEKALB, Ill. -- Five student-athletes from the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team, Madison Frazer (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East), Lea Gruennagel (Homburg, Germany/Intergrierte Gesamtschule Contwig), Abby McHugh (Wauconda, Ill./Wauconda), Kierah Meier (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) and Abby Zipse (Batavia, Ill./Batavia), were recognized by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) with Academic All-District honors. 

Frazer, a hospitality and tourism management major with a 3.798 grade point average, played in 18 matches this season, making one start. The Oswego, Ill., native recorded one assist, in a 1-1 draw with Toledo (Sept. 24). Frazer earned Academic All-MAC honors in 2022. 

Gruennagel, who earned Second Team All-MAC honors this season, started all 19 matches in 2023, scoring a pair of goals with a pair of assists. The outside back, who had a 3.838 grade point average majoring in business administration, scored game-winning goals against both Eastern Illinois (Aug. 24) and Eastern Michigan (Oct. 5). 

McHugh, a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree (2020, '21, '22) and an Academic All-District selection a season ago, played in all 19 matches for the Huskies this season, starting 18 contests. A graduate student in curriculum and instruction with a 3.911 grade point average, McHugh recorded her lone point of the season, an assist, on the game-winning goal at Akron (Oct. 1). 

Meier appeared in all 19 games for NIU this season, including one start. A rehabilitation and disability services major with a 3.859 grade point average, Meier scored the game-winning goal at Central Michigan on Oct. 22. The Sycamore, Ill., native is a two-time Academic All-MAC honoree (2021, '22) and earned Academic All-District honors a season ago. 

Zipse started all 19 matches for the Huskies in 2023 and played 1,615 minutes, the most for any NIU field player. A psychology major with a 3.95 grade point average, Zipse recorded assists in victories over Akron (Oct. 1) and Ball State (Oct. 19). A two-time Academic All-MAC honoree (2021, '22), Zipse is receiving Academic All-District recognition for the second consecutive season. 

To be eligible for Academic All-District recognition, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average and be at least a sophomore academically and athletically. The student-athlete must have competed in 90 percent of the institution's games or have started at least 66 percent of the program's games.